The Indian market is flashing signals of urgency on every global radar, with hospitality no exception. InterContinental is ready to take firm charge of its business in India.
Michael G Herrmann, director of operations, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, InterContinental Hotels Group, Southwest Asia, tells Sangeeta Singh what the group has in mind
What prompts InterContinental to shift from franchisee operations to management contracts?
Well, InterContinental has been in India for the last 40 years with franchisee arrangements with the Taj, Oberoi, Holiday Inn etcetera. The Indian hotel industry has matured, and we thought the time is just ripe for InterContinental to get into management contracts.
With InterContinental setting up a corporate office for South Asia, and with the India office catering to other markets in the region, the group has done its homework for getting into such contracts - which will enable the group to run hotels the way it wants to, with decision-making powers, and under its own brand name.
Also, with the Indian market expanding from seven-eight brands a few years back to anywhere between 30-40 brands in four-five years' time, the very structure of the hospitality sector is undergoing change and this is the best time for the shift.
So, has a beginning already been made?
Yes,