Investments in the hospitality sector in Kochi have risen as the city has transformed from a hub for commodity business to a tourist destination to, now, a centre for business conventions.

Around 16 new and high-profile hotel properties are coming up in Kochi — most of them will open in couple of years.

First in the list is Holiday Inn, due for a ‘soft' opening around mid-June, Mr Garth Solly, General Manager of Holiday Inn, Kochi, said. With 210 rooms to be opened in two phases, this will be among the biggest hotel ventures in the city, which will formally open with a bash during the harvest festival of Onam .

With an extensive network of 4,500 properties spread across the world and a sales force of 10,000, Mr Solly was confident that occupancy levels would pick up quite fast. With Kerala becoming a ‘must-see' destination, there are already lots of enquiries for Kochi as a leisure and tourist destination. The first phase would open with 100 rooms during the middle of June, followed by a formal launch of the whole property before the end of the year.

Demand & occupancy

For Kochi, although the number of properties and rooms are poised to soar in couple of years, studies have shown that the demand would catch up with a lag of 3-4 years.

The hoteliers are betting on the unveiling of the Smart City project, the full operation of the Vallarpadam International Container Transhipment Terminal and plethora of IT parks coming up in the State to bring in greater number of business visitors and make the city a round-the-year travellers' destination.

Happy days

Kerala's famous backwaters have already caught the fancy of the world, Mr Solly said. With the new airport poised to come up at Kannur, the tourism potential of beaches, Bakel fort and the wildlife of Wayanad will also catch the eye of the international traveller. Good days are ahead for tourists and business travellers coming to Kerala and for the hospitality industry in the State.

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