The Hindu Business Line : Marriott upbeat on Indians travelling abroad

MARRIOTT International, lodging industry major is keen to expand its business from India, whose outbound tourists gave bonanza to its hotels across the globe this year.

Its room sales saw an increase of 30 per cent over and above the budgeted expectation from the country.

Though exact figures were not provided, Marriot saw that only as a tip of the iceberg as the fast recovering economy portends to higher outbound tourists from India.

Marriott, which manages six properties in India and is set to add 19 properties by the end of 2006 in ten countries, however had no immediate plans to add to its strength in India.

Marriott has an overall room inventory of 30,000 in its 2,500 hotels worldwide.

Marriott was currently strengthening its sales and marketing efforts to cash in on the outbound travellers, said Mr Frederick L. Miller, Vice-President, Global Sales and Mr Samir Daqqaq, Vice-President of Marriott Sales Office, Middle East, Africa and Sub-Continent.

An estimated five million tourists travelled from India in 2003. The World Tourism Organisation has forecast that India will account for 50 million outbound tourists by the year 2020.

Talking to Business Line about the importance Marriott International gave to India, Mr Fred Miller, the recent initiative of `Look No Further' (LNF) Best Rate guarantee scheme underlined the company's policy to offer the best available room rate.

Unlike other major hotels, which offered Internet or web only rates, LNF ensures that customers would get the best rates for rooms booked through any of Marriott's reservation channels.

Tourism industry showed a steady recovery from the `9/11' terrorist strikes in New York said Mr Miller adding that the corporate travellers were making a slow comeback as against the quicker turnaround of leisure travellers.

Mr Miller declined to comment on opening a new property in India but felt that with strong brands such as Taj and Oberoi and international brands it was difficult for anybody to take a quick decision on expansion.

Marriott recently acquired the management of Viceroy Hotel in Hyderabad.