Best Western to set up 100 hotels in India:Goel

Bhubaneswar, May 31 (UNI) As part of aggressive development plan in India, World's largest hotel chain Best Western today announced to invest nearly 1.2 billion US dollar to set up 100 hotels across the country.

Under the leadership of master licenses Cabana Group Management private limited, both the Cabana and Best Western, also laid the foundation stone for an Advanced Hotel Management Institute and a premier hotel in Bhubaneswar, the first of its kind in the country with an intake capacity of 1500 students.

Cabana Group Co Chairman Prabhu Goel told newspersons that as part of their India expansion programmes, as many as 100 hotels under the Best Western brand would be established in the country in the next one decade.

This apart, Cabana Group would also develop its own properties for Best Western brand in India keeping in view the booming economy and growing travel market.

Mr Goel said hotels would be established in cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Ooty, Rameswaram, Kanyakumari and Jaisalmer besides Bhubaneswar.

He said in the next decade the Best Western would emerge as the biggest chain hotel in India providing 10,000 rooms and ensure the brand compliance besides taking up the initiative in marketing and training resources of the hotels and quality assurances.

Best Western International President and CEO David Kong and Chairman of the Board Charles Helm described India as the most exciting market in hotel business and said Cabana group would plan to convert hotels and render the Best Western brand at four star level or above in multiple market across the country.

On its plan in Orissa, Mr Goel said the Group has identified four sites such as Chilka Lake,Konark, Puri and Paradeep Port where it would establish the hotels with an investment of Rs 350 crores.

He said the world class Hotel Management Institute and hotel in Bhubaneswar with an investment of Rs 100 crores would be commissioned within the next two years to impart training to 1500 students.The hotel in Bhubaneswar, he said, would have 200 rooms while the Institute would provide residential accommodation to the students for which the Orissa government has provided 7 acres of land on the outskirts of the city.

Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today laid the foundation stone of the Institute and premier Hotel in presence of the Board of Directors of Cabana Group.The Institute would bring in world class hospitality standards to India and provide in depth training programmes for employees working in Best Western properties.

UNI