The Hindu Business Line : Swiss hotel major Movenpick eyes India

Movenpick, whose hotels fall under the four- and five-star categories, is looking at niche properties, including business hotels, resorts, and airport hotels.

Mr Andreas Mattmuller, Senior Vice-President (Middle East), Movenpick Hotels & Resorts, said that the brand would first seek to set up a presence in key destinations such as Mumbai and Delhi before venturing into resort locations such as Goa.

Movenpick Hotels & Resorts is jointly owned by Movenpick Holdings (with a majority stake of 66 per cent) and Kingdom Holding of the Saudi royal family.

Mr Mattmuller told Business Line that he had made several contacts during a recent trip to the country but there were no concrete deals to speak of as yet.

Also, while Movenpick had received several offers, the chain was keen to strike a deal with the right partner. "We will enter the market whenever an opportunity presents itself," he said.

Mr Mattmuller added that the tourist industry in India was expected to show continued growth with intra-regional travel between India and China expected to grow.

While people were becoming more prosperous, the gap in social indicators was a problem.

According to conservative estimates, India will face a shortfall of 20,000-30,000 rooms in the next three years.

Mr Mattmuller said the group would look to growing in clusters, with the focus regions being India, China, the Asia-Pacific region, and Africa.

Additionally, the group is keen on entering long-term management agreements of 15-20 years.

In the Gulf and West Asia, the group has doubled its chain of properties to 26 in three years, with important outlets located in Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Dubai, and Tanzania in North Africa.

Germany and Switzerland are Movenpick's strongest markets, and its business hotels in Europe and the Gulf have helped it develop a sizable corporate clientele.

The group, which has a dedicated food and beverage department, also runs a number of restaurants in Europe.

"The brand is particular about the value it brings to the table. It is an active player in any partnership and has distinguished itself by maintaining certain features, such as planning and design guidelines, at properties worldwide."

However, Movenpick properties also identify with the local market by including elements of the local culture in their design, which was why they are famous as `Hotels with a sense of place", he added.

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