With an increase of 12% in international tourists to India over the last year in the first seven months of 2007, and a 40% increase in foreign exchange through foreign tourists, the hotel industry is spending more than ever before on building additional rooms across India. Not surprising then, that the last week itself saw a series of announcements from new and established players on their new projects. A preview of what’s coming up:

Indus Inns will develop a 150 room low budget hotel in Bangalore, in addition to its luxury service apartments in Hyderabad and Bangalore. The company will adopt low-cost pre-fabricated technology and an auto check-in facility to build the property at a budget cost of Rs. 7 crore.

Keeping MNC and software professionals in view, Indus Inns eventually plans to set up more such hotels in Cochin, Chennai and Coimbatore, keeping their rates at Rs.1200 to Rs. 1500 per night.

On the other hand, Kamat Hotels is venturing into the heritage hotel segment with its Orchid Heritage in Jadhav Gadhi Fort in Pune. Simultaneously, its ecotel Lotus Suites chain will be extended to Aurangabad, Baddi, Nagpur and Raipur. While the Aurangabad, Baddi and Raipur hotels will have a capacity for 100 rooms each, the Nagpur property will house a catering college as well. The capacity at the Mumbai Orchid Hotel would also be augmented, company sources reveal. A new 450 room hotel in Pune in a joint venture is also on the cards.

Spas are occupying centrestage, and growing independently of hotels, as in the case of the Maya spa, an arm of the Radisson Plaza Resort and Spa. Maya has added a range of international treatments to its ayurvedic services at its centre in Kumarakom, establishing an edge over the Banyan Tree and Quan Spas of the Oberoi and JW Marriott hotels respectively. In the same league is the Rasayana Resort and Spa atop the hills in Uttarakhand, scheduled to open in October this year with the promise of a near celestial experience.

Unitech is making fresh investments to the tune of USD 720 million to build 28 hotels by 2011, of which 4 are in association with Marriott International. Indian Hotels has also announced its new project in Gurgaon, a 200 room business hotel. Ireland based Quinn Hotels recently had its FDI for Rs.313.33 crore approved by the Finance Ministry, and would divulge its plans in due course.

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