Best Western India (BWI), a part of global hotel chain Best Western International, is looking to expand its presence in the mid-market segment. The company, which has 10 hotels in India at present, will set up an additional 14 hotels by 2012. The company, present in India since 2007, operates on a franchisee model and will come up with new properties in Ahmedabad, Ajmer, Mohali, Bhubaneshwar, Hyderabad and Bangalore among other cities.
“The mid-market hotel segment which we cater too is witnessing acute shortage of rooms. As of now, there are about 20,000-odd rooms in this segment and the requirement is double this number. We are here to cater to this huge demand supply gap,” Sudhir Sinha, president & COO, Best Western India, said. He added that of the 14 hotels under construction, the majority will be completed by the end of this year, while the rest will come up by 2012. Sinha feels that the in ternational branding will help the company rope in more customers. “As the Indian hotel market matures, the supply and demand of hotel rooms will become more balanced. Revenue and profitability of hotels will be increasingly determined by the quality and level of services. Thus, hotels that invest in servicing and branding will be better positioned to compete in the future,” he said.
Speaking about the company’s operational model, Sinha said Best Western has consciously opted for the franchisee model, as it will help them attain scalability and expand faster. Globally, the US-based parent manages 4,200 hotels across 80 countries with major presence in the US and Europe. It is now witnessing a rapid expansion in Asia.
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