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C.J. Punnathara

Kochi , Dec. 15

THE Casino group of hotels, the pioneers of resort/holiday tourism in Kerala, will be getting out of fringe business and will focus on its core competence — resort, health, nature and ecotourism.

The group is in the process of selling its city properties and will henceforth concentrate exclusively on holiday resorts by adding greater value and service to these destinations. "We are in the process of selling our city property, Anjali in Kottayam, and will soon consider a similar option with Pandhal in Kochi, Mr Jose Dominic, Managing Director of the Casino Group of hotels told Business Line.

All the resort properties of the group are running at full capacity and will remain so until the end of the current season. But as Kerala itself is becoming an upmarket destination, the revenue from our properties has grown by close to 20 per cent on year-to-year basis, Mr Dominic said.

"During the tourist season starting from September to March, all our resort properties record 90 to 95 per cent occupancy. The marginal shortfall in occupancy is because of cancellations and there is nothing we can do about it. The only option of increasing revenue is to charge premium rates and give top-quality service," he said.

With a focus on holiday experience, the group is in the process of repositioning its brand image and assuming a holiday and resort brand identity. With the advent of easy access and convenient flights to Kochi, many of its repeat visitors are sidestepping from the city/business hotel of Kochi, Casino, and heading directly to resorts destinations such as Brunton Boat Yard and Marari Beach resort.

There are no major new projects on hand and the group plans to grow organically. Ithas a couple of on-going projects, including the Kollengode palace, through which the group plans to give royal experience to the visitor.

Adopts villages for spices

THE group has promised the discerning European consumer spices akin to the variety that Vasco da Gama sourced from the Malabar Coast over five centuries ago.

The group has adopted two tribal villages in the famous Project Tiger — Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, where the tribals are growing indigenous pepper species such as `karimundan', for the European markets. The pepper is grown under organic conditions by close to 300 families of Mannankudy and Puliyankudy tribal villages, in around 500 acres of land.

"Export of organic pepper is slated to grow to 10 tonnes, up from two tonnes last year, which have been grown by these tribals in their own land," Mr Dominic said. The venture into organic farming is not just viable business proposition, but would easily dovetail into the tourism venture and give an additional fillip to the group's core competence.

The hotel chain plans to add visits to the tribal hamlets and showcase organic farming as part of the schedule of the foreign visitor who comes down to their property, the Spice Village, located besides the Sanctuary. The group plans to brings more tribal hamlets under its organic umbrella, extent the area of cultivation and introduce more indigenous spices such as ginger, turmeric, lemon grass oil etc. under organic cultivation.

Having tied up the sourcing arrangements, the marketing will be undertaken by Manufactum and Eco Land Herbs and Spices.

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