S'pore's Shangri-La Hotels to grow in south India

To expand its footprint in India, Hong Kong-based Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts plans to focus on the south Indian market. The international hospitality chain that signed management contract deals for opening two hotels in Bangalore is now looking at the Chennai market for expansion. Chennai is a city the company is looking at. But it wants to find good partners who will be compatible with the company's standard of functioning,” Farhat Jamal, Area Manager and General Manager, Shangri-La Hotel, Mumbai said.

The hotel group that currently owns and/or manages 80 properties across the world under the Shangri-La, Kerry and Traders brands will be opening its first Bangalore hotel by the third quarter of next year. The hospitality group recently opened a 389-room hotel in Mumbai five months ago. This was its second hotel in India after the Delhi hotel which opened in 2005. The hospitality group is focusing on the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions) segment in India.

According to industry estimates, the MICE segment in India is growing at around 20 per cent annually and the segment contributes no less than 20 per cent of the hotels’ business.