MARRIOTT International officially launched Courtyard by Marriott Pune Chakan last week in the automobile and manufacturing hub of Chakan, making it the city’s maiden international business hotel.
General manager Ritu Chawla said: “There are a number of high-profile delegates who visit Chakan. Earlier, there was no property of international standards that could serve the luxury business traveller, but with the opening of our property, this gap has been filled.
“This belt has great potential for F&B too as presently there are no outlets that can serve corporate clientele. The all-day dining restaurant (in our hotel), Momo Café, offers an interesting mix of international, Indian and local specialties.”
The brand’s 10th property in India features 175 rooms including 12 residential suites and 1,089m2 of indoor and outdoor meeting space.
Rates at the hotel start from Rs6,000 (US$95), and the hotel’s management hopes to exceed 50 per cent occupancy by next year.
Rajeev Menon, area vice president, South Asia, Marriott International, said he expects up to 65 per cent of business to be driven by foreign guests, with domestic travellers making up the rest.
“However, we expect the domestic share to increase as we move ahead. As we sit today, 67 per cent of (Marriott’s) business across the country is driven by Indian customers. We foresee Indian consumers accounting for 70 to 80 per cent of business for the Courtyard and Fairfield brands in the near future,” he shared.
Marriott is planning fam trips for travel trade partners as part of its marketing strategy.
Pune has seen hotel supply surge in the last four years and now has the fourth-largest supply of rooms in the country. Occupancy has also grown year-on-year, rising 12 per cent between 2011 and 2012, said Chawla.
The group is aiming to have 23 operating hotels in India in its portfolio by end-2013 and 50 by 2017. It also hopes to introduce the Edition brand to the country and is mulling the debut of Autography.
