Coimbatore: Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group is eyeing major pilgrimage centres in south India to set up hotels as part of its expansion plans, a top company official said on Wednesday.
Carlson Group is one of the world's largest hotel chains.
South India has vast potential for religious tourism and the group is focusing its attention to develop hotels in major pilgrimage centres like Tirupati, Madurai and Rameshwaram, said Raj Rana, CEO, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, South Asia.
"The group has already tapped the pilgrimage tourism potential in northern parts of the country like Ajmer, Varanasi and Haridwar and as part of the expansion of footprint, south (India) is an important destination for such activities," he told PTI.
Depending upon availability of partners and locations, we would set up at least 20 heritage hotels in these centres in five to seven years, he said.
As the group functions on franchise, management and operation basis, the investments would purely depend on arrangements based on partners and number of hotel rooms, he added.
The group is also open to conversion of existing hotels and their renovation, he said.
To a question on whether younger generation would prefer such centres, Rana said people still consider visiting centres upholding cultural and heritage values.
Rana was here to inspect progress of work on the group's five-star hotel under Radisson Blu brand.
The Coimbatore facility wold commence operations next year, he said.
The group presently has 74 hotels across the country, including two in Chennai, one in Mahabilipuram and one in Salem in Tamil Nadu under different brands and 40 more hotels are in the pipeline.
To a question on exploring mid-segment hotels, he said the group's Park Plaza and Park Inn brands in Salem are aimed at the mid-segment, adding that the company would continue to do so, based on opportunities.
Stating that occupancy rates of most hotels was around 60 per cent for the last two to three years, Rana
said he sees a bright future for services and hospitality sectors in view of prevailing political stability and economic prosperity, including plans for setting up of smart cities.
