ITDC to promote Delhi as MICE destination

New Delhi, Apr 15: As part of its efforts to compete effectively with the private sector and to promote MICE (Meeting, Incentive, Conference and Exhibition) tourism, the India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) is augmenting its convention facility at its prime properties in the capital city - The Ashok and The Samrat.

A massive convention centre is being constructed linking both the Hotel Ashok and the Hotel Samrat, besides augmenting the existing convention facilities available in these two hotels.

Tourism Minister Ambika Soni told UNI here today that the proposed "Ashok-Samrat" Convention Centre would have state-of-the-art facilities with theatre-style capacity for 1,800 persons.

"Our plan is to complete the convention centre much ahead of the Commonwealth Games," she said, pointing out that the Tourism Ministry was in the process of finalising a global architect for the world-class project.

Ms Soni said the 550-room Hotel Ashok would have a new look before the commencement of the next tourist season in September. As many as 182 rooms would be fully done up, while the remaining 268 would be done up partially at a cost of Rs 146 crore.

In view of the renovation work in the Hotel Ashok, about 40 per cent of its rooms would remain closed for a few months from May this year.

She said the ITDC had expressed its willingness to restore the "Akbar Bhavan" in Chanakyapuri in the capital city as a five-star hotel as part of the efforts to create more hotel rooms for the forthcoming Commonwealth Games.

The Akbar Bhavan now houses the Overseas Indian Affairs Ministry and a few wings of the External Affairs Ministry.

Ms Soni said 50 per cent of the renovation work at its hotel in Jaipur was over. Its hotel at Bhubaneshwar had completed 80 per cent of the renovation work. These two hotels would soon have private restaurants.

She said the Hotel Janpath and the Hotel Samrat would have "art galleries" within the next few months. At the Hotel Janpath, there would be one art gallery each in the lift corridors of four of the six floors.

The Minister said out of the 16 hotels being run by the ITDC, only two hotels were remaining in the red.

The profit of the ITDC has grown by 128 per cent in the even-month period from April 2006 to February 2007. It has gone up to Rs 64 crore from Rs 28 crore during the corresponding period in the previous year.

The turnover of the ITDC grew to Rs 455.27 crore from Rs 340.72 crore during April 2006-FEbruary 2007.

ITDC sources said the state-owned Public Sector Company had made a record 1346 per cent profit during the last lean season (April-October 2006).

Sources said the growth in profits was significant in the light of the loss of the duty free business in Delhi, Chennai and Kolkata.

ITDC is running the duty free shops at the airports in the metropolitan cities.

UNI