NO-FRILLS budget chain Tune Hotels has entered into a 60-40 joint venture with Apodis Hospitality to open 22 hotels in India, beginning with the first in Ahmedabad in 1Q2013.

Mahesh Gandhi, founder, Apodis Hospitality, said: “Tune aims to offer five-star beds at one-star prices. The aim is to offer rooms at US$50 or less.”

Each hotel will have 100-250 keys depending upon the size and needs of the market in which it is based. The chain, popular in Malaysia, is making inroads into Asia-Pacific (TTG Asia e-Daily, February 1, 2013).

Its entry into India brings it head-on with existing budget to midscale hotels in the market including Lemon Tree Hotels, Red Fox Hotels, Citrus Hotels and Tata Group’s Ginger Hotels.

BT Ramnani, director, Vensimal World Travel Agents, said: “The economic growth in India is spawning a whole new breed of small businessmen and traders who are travelling across the country. This is a large segment of budget-conscious people who look for good location and comfortable rooms at very reasonable prices. The scope for budget hotels and mid-market properties is unimaginably large.”

PK Mohankumar, COO, Gateway Hotels, said: “India is an undersupplied market and we need at least another 120,000 hotel rooms by 2015, of which half should be budget and mid-market hotels.”

According to research by ICICI Direct, the mid-market segment represents about 29 per cent of India’s total room inventory, growing at a compounded annual growth rate of 3.7 per cent from 2002 to 2011, while the budget segment accounts for six per cent of all rooms.

AZAMARA Club Cruises will premier a series of free night touring events on its itineraries for the Europe 2013 season.

Each voyage comes with an AzAmazing Evenings event, which will appeal to travellers ranging from wine lovers to history buffs.

For example, Azamara Quest’s Monte-Carlo to Andalucia voyage allows passengers to spend the evening at the Cordoniu Cellars. Guests will learn how Spain’s famous sparkling Cava wine is made, sample the varieties paired with regional specialties and watch a flamenco performance.

Azamara Journey’s Vatican to the Acropolis voyage, on the other hand, takes guests to a typical piedigrotta in Sorrento, Italy to enjoy a Neapolitan festival, which has its roots in medieval times.

Azamara’s voyages all feature late-night departures and overnight port stays at a destination, some for up to three days.

JET Airways’ price-slashing move earlier this week has sparked a price war among Indian carriers.

IndiGo, Spice Jet and GoAir have followed suit with deals of their own after Jet Airways dropped prices by as much as 30-50 per cent on two million seats recently. Air India is also offering a 40 per cent discount on its fares.

Jet Airways’ offers are open for booking until February 24, and are good for 450 flights across 57 domestic destinations for travel until December 31, on either Jet Airways or Jet Konnect, its low-cost arm.

Airfares range from Rs2,250 (US$41) for travel up to 750km to Rs3,800 for flights above 1,400km. All prices are tax-inclusive.

Sudheer Raghavan, chief commercial officer, Jet Airways, said: “The offer will enable passengers to plan ahead and get great bargains for travel during the holiday seasons in summer, autumn and winter.”

Airlines expect the deals to push up passenger loads to 90 per cent in the high season, from an average of 73 per cent.

Spice Jet claims to have sold 700,000 tickets when it offered a million seats at marked down prices in a three-day sale for travel between February 1 and April 30.

Mamta Panjani, general manager-east, Mercury Travels, said: “This sudden reduction in fares will boost air travel for holidays and business travel as high fares last year had dampened many holidaymakers’ plans.”

Meanwhile, Rajendra Churiwala, director-eastern region, IATA Agents Association of India, said: “Passengers will benefit from this price war provided enough seats are offered on all major flights at these prices.”

AIRASIA X plans to build multiple hubs in Asia which would enable it to feed on shorthaul AirAsia’s massive network, strengthen group presence and brand in Asia-Pacific and dominate intra-regional travel.

Azran Osman-Rani, CEO, AirAsia X, said: “We want to do multiple hubs within the next five years. We will follow the AirAsia model and create hubs in Bangkok, Jakarta, Denpasar and Tokyo – cities with AirAsia hubs.”

The carrier will increase its fleet size from 11 to 25 aircraft by next year. This year, it will take delivery of seven Airbus A330s from April and another seven A330s in 2014.

The new aircraft would be used to increase frequencies on high load routes such as Kuala Lumpur to Sydney, Melbourne, Taipei and Seoul, and to fly to new cities, said Azran.

Currently operating services to 14 destinations, AirAsia X is looking at new connections from Kuala Lumpur to Adelaide, Nagoya, Fukuoka, Busan, Xi’an, Chongqing and Wuhan.

Azran predicted these countries would dominate economic growth in the travel and tourism industry over the next five years.

At the same time, AirAsia X is taking steps to resolve technology issues with GDSs to enable travel consultants to book its seats and service offerings seamlessly, and not lose out on group and MICE bookings.

ACCOR is in talks with local partner Max Myanmar Group of Companies to open a Novotel in Yangon within a property belonging to the latter, according to a Max Myanmar spokesperson.

The proposed 366-room Novotel Hotel (Yangon) will be established in Max Myanmar’s Pyay Tower on Pyay Road.

Max Myanmar Hotel Group’s project manager, Bo Chan Tun, said 159 rooms would be located in the 14-storey Tower A and 207 rooms in 16-storey Tower B.

He remarked: “At the moment, we are facing a hotel room shortage, especially in Yangon and other key destinations. So developing a big hotel with many rooms like this will meet the current demand for hotel rooms.”

Facilities will include a ballroom, meeting room, conference rooms, a café, wine bar, French restaurant, swimming pool, fitness centre, spa and tennis court.

Earlier this month, The Bangkok Post reported that Best Western International planned to open its first Myanmar property in 2013, leveraging friendlier investment rules and the countrywide room shortage.

The hotel chain was reportedly looking at locations in Yangon and Mandalay, and were discussing franchising and ownership options with potential investors.

BEST Western Sea & Sun Nha Trang opened today, marking the chain’s fifth property in Vietnam.

The beachfront hotel offers 80 guestrooms and suites, many with private balconies.

“Driven by an influx of new flights, strong demand from the domestic market, and a fast-growing international reputation, Nha Trang’s golden coast will soon rival many of Asia’s more established resort destinations,” said Glenn de Souza, Best Western International’s vice president international operations-Asia & the Middle East.

Facilities include restaurants, a swimming pool, a spa, two meeting rooms with capacity for 120 delegates, free Internet access and a tour desk for local excursions.