High Employ-ability Is Driven By Good Education System, Says Pramod Bhasin of Genpact

‘Plug, Play And Forget’

Reinhard Zinkann, co-owner and managing director of German luxury kitchen appliances major Miele, was in India recently to sign one of the company’s largest deals with M3M builders for their luxury project. Miele will furnish 3,000 luxury apartments in an upcoming project of M3M in Gurgaon with 12,000 state-of-the-art built-in appliances. During his visit, BW | Businessworld’s Chitra Narayanan caught up with him to understand luxury in the kitchen. Edited excerpts:Miele has been in India for some time now. How has the growth been?  It is growing slowly but steadily. We believe India is a growing economy and its politics are opening up, and we are looking for a prosperous future.One hears that the market in China, where you are present in a big way, has slowed down, and India will gain as a result. How is that playing out for you? I think the market has, in general, slowed down in China, but we are still having a very happy growth there. So, I cannot say focus is shifting from China to India. But if  the Indian economy and its politics —  your prime minister is talking about improving things — pick up, then I have no doubt that the Indian market will grow, and  the market for luxury products will also grow. The well-off in India have properties outside and know about luxury products. I have met many Indians who have houses all over the world, and they have experienced luxury and know the value of a Miele product, and want it for themselves here too. Nowadays cooking has become such an important topic, and western recipes are entering the Indian kitchen, which is also changing mindsets. Are shows like Masterchef contributing to this?A little, maybe. But now, we have next-generation appliances that people are seeing and reading about, and would like to have. We believe people enjoy these new options. In the dry kitchen, which is open to the living room, you would like to have better products, since they are on display, but we find that now even in the wet kitchen, at the back, people are using better products because we talk of durability. And people don’t want to change their products every five years.Really? But as newer and newer gadgets come, isn’t there a desire to keep up with the Joneses and upgrade to the latest?Every change in built-in appliance means a change in kitchen design — it has to be taken out and re-installed and will necessitate a change in cabinetry. And people may not want to do that. It’s not sexy to exchange appliances, but it is sexy to have an iPhone 6. But to upgrade a washing machine or dishwasher is not sexy. On top of that, no staff or housewife likes to read instruction manuals. Once you get used to a product, you would not like to change. Plug, play and forget is what works in case of appliances. And in case you call the service professional from our brand, he will come and update the product to the latest standards — which is also an advantage.How are tastes of Indians different to those of other consumers? Will you tweak your product to fit our tastes?No, we will not tweak our product to local markets because the brand is global. The Miele owner has to like the product as it is the world over. As tastes are different everywhere, we try to have a timeless design. A design that makes you look at it and enjoy it for many years; one that fits into all the standard branded cabinetry. Designs that may look very local, modern, stylish and new, you might like the appliance for a while but then you go “ugh”. That’s because fashion changes. This is why we aim to be timeless. It’s not just a question of cosmetic design but also materials. So we prefer to be classic in our designs.What about colours, etc.? One hears that golden shades sell more in the Middle East and China. What about India? Interestingly, I don’t find gold to be much of a hot topic here. It’s true that in the Middle East and parts of China they prefer a golden finish. But we can deliver it if someone wants it in India.Our luxury issue focuses on youth. Would a child be able to handle your appliances? Do you take into account factors like child friendliness — after all, kids today have their cooking competitions? Our new-generation appliances with Mtouch electronics are designed to be read like an iPhone. Kids can handle and use them easily.What are the trends you see in cooking?Cooking has changed. It has become very luxurious. Ten years ago, you may have known where the kitchen in your house was but may not have stepped into it. Today, you learn high-end French cuisine, it’s become a lifestyle. I also find that the more domestic helps you have, the more you seek privacy. And the kitchen becomes a family room and a sanctuary. I can see this trend growing. When I come home, my wife and I sit together in the kitchen. Has that resulted changes in the design of the kitchen?We are not into cabinetry. We are, however, working with kitchen cabinetry companies like Hacker, and the big European and Italian companies. We were earlier in the cabinetry space, but exited 10 years ago, and I am happy as the other cabinet companies saw us as competition. Now, we can discuss designs openly — such as how our new products will look best in their cabinet designs.The Internet of Things is changing kitchens. How are you delivering that?  We were the first to have Miele in the “connected” house. We worked with Busch-Jaeger, a French company. We started that 15 years ago and, this year, you will find 400 of our appliances “connected”.Will you bring these to India? Yes, but the time for “connected” appliances is yet to come here. Internet connectivity is not yet ready. But you are doing an exclusive project for M3M? Couldn’t you start there?Yes, we could. But the question is does the market really want it? And the other thing is people are afraid that with connected appliances, hackers may find that a home has not used a dishwasher for a few weeks and figure out that nobody is home. What are the design trends that are shaping and changing the kitchen?I believe there are two major trends. One is electronics. More and more technology will result in more automatic products. The other is the products that will have to deliver many functions in one appliance to save space. Like, a steam-cooking option with an oven, or a microwave with a steam cooker. Most kitchens will not have space for two or three appliances. So some people will like to have a steam cooker, an oven and, on top, a coffee machine. In future, you will have a combination of products in one appliance for multiple usage.What are the most luxurious projects you have worked on? Actually, I cannot tell you because there are so many. In Manhattan, opposite Carnegie Hall, there were apartments with price tags between $8 million and $35 million a unit. The price starts from $10,000 a square foot. In Dubai, Australia and Singapore, we have seen fantastic luxury apartments. In Singapore, I have seen some wonderful projects, especially on Sentosa Island. Since you have a finger on the pulse of kitchens, what is the global cuisine that is trending in homes?People tend to cook their local food more at home and dine out on international food, though they do now like to flaunt their cooking skills at home. Sushi has become a major fad, we find. But the number one setting in our appliances is a toss up between French and Italian cuisine. chitra@businessworld.in  Twitter: @ndcnn (This story was published in BW | Businessworld Issue Dated 15-12-2014)

Checking In, Circa 2020

What’s hospitality in 2020 going to be like? Phil McAveety, executive vice-president and chief brand officer of Starwood Hotels and Resorts worldwide, paints a scenario where a guest sends a 3D print scan of his shoes and the hotel has gym shoes of his exact size ready and waiting in the room when he checks in. Of course, the guest will have an SPG app on his iWatch, and will start a trip by sending a voice-activated request for a car pick-up on the app. He will self-check in through a smart device. Through social apps, he will even be able to find out if any of his friends are in the same city.But why wait till 2020? Keyless check-in — tapping the hotel room door open with your smartphone — and many of the trends that McAveety outlines, including beacons in lobbies that latch on to a guest’s app and send welcoming messages, are already here. The future is close, closer than you might imagine.  Your stay in a luxury hotel is already radically different from what it was just a few years ago.For instance, at the St Regis in New York, as you brush your teeth, you can press a remote and the mirror in the bathroom turns into a television. At an Aloft hotel in Cupertino, you may be served tea by a robot butler quaintly named Botlr.  At the Starwood experience centre in Stamford, Connecticut, you get a vision of the changes sweeping in at the nine brands of the global hospitality major when you visit the mock-up rooms created there. At the Aloft room for instance, there is no television, just a projector on top of the bed and a smartphone dock at the bedside. “The guest of the future will prefer to bring his own entertainment,” says Lara Shortall, creative director, Brand Design at Starwood Hotels and Resorts.  Bring your own device is a trend that might impact in-room entertainment at hotels of the future.Gopal Rao, regional vice-president, Sales & Marketing, SWA, Intercontinental Hotels (IHG), describes how Samsung and Holiday Inn worked together on new in-room technology as far back as the 2012 Olympics. Guests at the Holiday Inn London, Stratford City, were able to employ an app on the Samsung Galaxy S III to control TV, air-conditioning and lights in the room. Eat, Pray, Stay: Starwood’s Westin brand is centred around wellness and has a biophilic designThat was over two years ago. Now apps in the hand of travellers allow them to directly communicate with the front desk, housekeeping and concierge staff. The ITC Grand Chola at Chennai, for instance, has an iPad on the bedside table that has, amongst its features, a facility to see a visual of anyone ringing the doorbell. The rooms also have an anti-stumble light under the bed that comes on the minute you get out of bed.Nakul Anand, executive director, ITC, feels that a trend impacting hotel services is that the traveller of today increasingly wants to be in control. “More and more services — tea, laundry, etc. — are being provided in the room so the traveller is self-sufficient and in control,” he says. Technology is clearly one of the biggest drivers of change in the hotel experience today. But there are other trends shaping the future of hospitality.  And Starwood is not the only one drawing up a list of things influencing and impacting the world of travel and rapidly redesigning its hotel rooms. From Marriott to Intercontinental to our own luxury hospitality companies Taj and ITC, literally everyone is studying the changing consumer and new guest expectations, and redoing their services accordingly.Says Manav Thadani, chairman, HVS Asia Pacific, “Apart from innovations in in-room technologies to create higher differentiation, critical elements such as complementary high-speed Wi-fi in guest rooms, public areas and even in hotel cars will fast become the norm.”  At Marriott Bangalore, for instance, guests picked up at the airport by hotel cars can enjoy Wi-fi through the hour-and-a-half-long journey to the city hotel.Personalised ServicesIHG’s Rao says rising disposable incomes, blurring of geographical boundaries and a need for individualism are giving rise to new traveller segments. For instance, in the next decade, more travellers will originate from emerging economies such as Brazil, Russia and China. “These are known as the new global explorers who are keen to elevate their social status by visiting the must-see places and sights. The new global explorers have high personalisation expectations,” says Rao. Personal Service: Chris Heuisler, running concierge at Westin; (below) the Botlr — a robot butler that serves tea— at AloftHe describes how in order to cater to this segment the hotel needs to provide them with an environment that feels like a “home away from home”. In China, IHG has introduced HUALUXE Hotels & Resorts, the first hotel brand designed by Chinese for the Chinese.Personalisation is a trend that McAveety of Starwood too talks about. Flexi check-in (24-hour cycles rather than the rigid noon check-in) could be a reality. Your own bed and pillow preferences (hard, soft, geared for a bad back and so on ), your unique temperature setting (some Starwood rooms are trialing the Nest thermostat that memorises your energy history so that the next time you check in, it automatically sets itself at levels preferred by you)  are all part of this trend.Additionally, the trends that Starwood has picked on are the growth in women travellers  and high net worth women (30 per cent of Chinese millionaires today are women, while in the US, there are now more female millionaires aged 18 to 44 than male, according to the US Internal Revenue Service). So, expect rooms designed with a feminine touch for women guests. Delivering ExperiencesDeepa Harris, senior vice-president, Global Sales and Marketing, Taj Group, too talks about delivering personalised experiences. “Dining in a tower, turret, on a terrace or pontoon or even a barge, it’s all customised for you,” she says, describing how a palace stay gets an added exotic twist. break-page-breakThe Taj, she says, is investing a lot in experiential stay to stay ahead in the luxury game. “There is a definitive swing in the luxury segment; it’s becoming more experiential and rooted in the true values of luxury, that is, authenticity, quality, uniqueness and provenance,” says Harris. She says Taj has stuck to its knitting all these years and not succumbed to fads and overuse of guest technology. Yet it has kept a watchful eye on trends through consumer insights and usage patterns. “We found guests, even though wired, completely welcoming the need to switch off in our hotels in Jodhpur, Udaipur and the Maldives. We believe that the values Taj stands for are more enduring and should be the pillars on which our experiences must deliver. These pillars are heritage, provenance, a guest-centric culture, storied craftsmanship, restorative ethics and authentic experiences,” says Harris. So, at its iconic brand drivers of luxury  — the Taj MahalPalace, Taj Wellington Mews,  The Pierre, Taj Exotica Maldives —  the effort, she says, is “to deliver uniqueness, a sense of place, heritage  authenticity and our legendary service”.Almost every chain is now playing on heritage and digging out historical nuggets and memorabilia. For instance, at St Regis New York, guests are treated to Bloody Mary lunches. After all the cocktail — also called the Red Snapper — was invented at its King Cole Bar 80 years ago. Live Like A King: The Park, Hyderabad, has an 1,800 sq. ft regal room called La Sultana created by fashion icon Tarun TahilianiDesign DrivenFrom the classical to the modern to the artistic, there has been a forward movement in design as well. “There has been a great democratisation of design and now everybody expects something new and revolutionary. People want to be inspired by architecture and interiors,” says McAveety.So, certain Starwood brands like W with its funky play on colours and Le Meridien with its arty outlook are creating differentiated properties solely through design. Additionally, St Regis New York has forged associations with luxury brands like Dior, Tiffany to design special suites.  Red Snapper: St Regis New York plays up its association with the Bloody Mary invented at the hotelIn India, the Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels group has invested heavily in design, even launching a design-driven upscale brand, Zone.  At The Park, too, especially its Hyderabad property, elements from the world of fashion and design are incorporated. Priya Paul, chairperson, Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels,  says, “The Park, Hyderabad, has been conceived as a 7-star modern palace. I wanted to work with people from the world of fashion, furniture, product design and art to create spaces and objects that could reflect different ways of luxury living.”So, it has an 1,800 sq. ft suite created by fashion designer Tarun Tahiliani called ‘La Sultana’ that comes with a lake view. The centrepiece is an opulent canopied four-poster bed , and the tariff is Rs 50,000-plus. “I have created an oasis to which guests will want to keep coming back.  At La Sultana, one relives a regal past and stays in the present,” says Tahiliani.The Wellness MantraSince fitness has become a global fad, hotels are making sure they are part of the trend. Spas are one way of doing so. Yoga classes, health centres are all par for the course. But at the Westin, the brand philosophy is centred around well-being, hence the biophilic design. The signature look of the hotels is green and leafy with detoxifying plants placed strategically in lobbies, rooms and corridors. There are yoga mats in every room. The six pillars of the well-being movement, launched at the hotel, are Sleep Well, Eat Well, Move Well, Feel Well, Work Well and Play Well. And now, in an innovative twist, Westin has begun promoting running, through a unique RunWestin programme where guests are encouraged to go for a run and enjoy the local scenery, accompanied by a running concierge (a trained marathon runner, no less!). Chris Heuisler,  the first of Westin’s running concierges, helps guests prep for races. Keyless Entry: Tap with your phone to enter your roomNew Destinations UnfoldAccording to Thadani, another trend is the opening up of new destinations. “As key markets near a risk of possible oversupply and saturation, lesser-known destinations see renewed interest from brands and consumers alike,” he says.  In addition, luxury destination resorts, which combine an array of lifestyle offerings such as golf and luxury retail, are gaining popularity, he says, pointing out how these “mini destinations” serve as self-contained, self-sufficient abodes of contemporary luxury.  The resorts coming up at Bekal are a case in point. Now, The Lalit is trying to open up Chitrakoot as a new destination in Madhya Pradesh. Starwood’s president of Global Development, Simon Turner, talks about Hainan in China emerging as the next big island destination. “Soon, there will be more hotels in Hainan than in Hawaii,” he says. Finally, It’s All About ServiceStarwood may be taking a technology leap but McAveety is the first to sound a note of caution — people don’t come to stay in apps, they come to stay in hotels. So, service in the ultimate analysis still remains the differentiator. Thadani of HVS calls it being different the old-fashioned way. He signs of  with: “As a multitude of luxury hotel brands proliferate, there is a need for chains to create greater differentiation, not only in product offerings but also in the overall customer experience, and ensure consistency across their portfolios. Luxury was, and remains, synonymous with impeccable service, and consumers do look for the “human touch” and a high degree of personalisation for the premium they pay.”  chitra@businessworld.in Twitter: @ndcnn(This story was published in BW | Businessworld Issue Dated 15-12-2014) 

For That Warm Glow

The trick, a famous movie director once said, lies in managing the shadows. Invert that and manage the lit spaces cleverly and, voila! What you get is a warm and cosy room that puts you at ease and, if you are great at lighting, creates the ambience for a flirtatious dalliance. Little wonder then that any good filmmaker will tell you that it is all in the lighting. Get that right and the job is more than half done. What photographers have known forever, home owners are now beginning to realise. You might have the best architecture, fabulously designed interiors, and ultra modern or timeless classical furniture but it’s lighting that gives that luxurious glow to a home. And the good news is that you no longer have to go scouting abroad for luxe lamps and fixtures.  Or rely on unbranded stuff. Premium light brands are now available right here in the country, with a plethora of designs and automated solutions. A visit to Light India — the annual lighting exhibition in Delhi — was an illuminating experience. Philips, of course, totally led the action with its innovative app-controlled LED (light-emitting diode) solutions, and its futuristic peeks at OLED technology (still in prototype stage). But there were interesting designs to be seen from Anchor Electricals (a Panasonic company), especially its remote-controlled Symphony Lighting range, and Chinese brand Opple’s debut offerings for India. While Philips now has over 110 Light Lounges across India, Anchor has just opened its LED Lighting Experience Centre in Bangalore, while Opple is opening one in Chennai. Philips is also bringing to India offerings from two of its global acquisitions — Luceplan, a design-led luxe lighting firm headquartered in Milan, and Modular Lighting Instruments, a Belgian firm. These are high-end luminaires (prices on request only), and will be available next year. What new sources of lighting like LED have done is that you can now light up a home in hitherto unimaginable ways. Philips, for instance, has got a range of stuffed toys with lights in them, fruit platters and wine holders that twinkle at you, hanging diyas that light up when you blow on them. As Kalyan Raychaudhuri from the Centre of Competence at Philips Lighting India says, “Brilliance can be created by using a signature piece of product or innovative applications; for instance, coloured lights inside alcoves and so on.”  The Shining Moon by Opple (left); Innovative Lighting (right): High-end luxe lights by LuceplanFor A Well-Lit Home•  Proper lighting level – which helps us to see• Colour temperature – The right whiteness of light helps to set the mood. Warm white light are inviting, comfortable and relaxing; neutral white light is efficient, balanced, natural-looking; daylight is bright, clean, lively• Colour rendering index – Helps identify the right colourAnd the lighting fixtures themselves are so clever now that you don’t even notice where they are. You could have lights embedded in a staircase or cleverly concealed behind false ceilings. Of course, the chandelier still reigns supreme in luxe homes, though the ornate chandelier of the past is now giving way to funky modern pieces. In fact, the hospitality industry sets the trend in terms of innovative hanging lights — at Starwood brand Aloft, for instance, you get to see interesting geometrical graphic prints on canvas which add a new dimension to the ceiling light. What’s more interesting, you can change the prints to get a different look! Lara Shortall, creative director, Brand Design, Starwood Hotels and Resorts, describes how a lot of work is done to get the right aura for a room — for instance, wireless LED lighting could be built into headboards above the bed to provide ambient lighting in the room. Control In Your HandsTechnology is moving almost at the speed of light when it comes to automated lighting — so much so that a switchless home is totally possible, with the lights controlled by apps on your phone or through a pre-programmed control panel. The current trend in luxury homes is to have good looking wall-mounted interfaces with customised buttons and displays. But, to get it all in place, you need to think about lighting fairly early and incorporate it at the architectural and design stage itself. Says  Raychaudhuri, “Ideally lighting should be planned along with interior layout, furniture and finishing parameters like texture, paint, wallpaper, etc. Also, the electrical points, switches and home automation should be as per the lighting plan and not vice-versa.” In fact, with connected bulbs all over the home, the trend is to buy lighting plans from companies. Lighting is highly personal.  The intensity, measured in candlepower, the colour tones, the luminosity — all vary from individual to individual. While you may like moderate lighting, your partner may prefer dimmer lighting. And, again, thanks to apps like the Philips Hue, at one click of a button or a swipe of the colour palette, you can adjust the hue and tone to your individual preference. The control is in your hands. If you install a lighting system, then you can pre-program different lighting settings for different times of the day, or occasions. So you could do settings like parties, daily use and romantic ambience. “Also, the right ambience can be created by proper layering of lights. By experimenting with different types of lighting, the mood of a room can change from calm and romantic to energising and vibrant,” says Raychaudhuri.  Different Spaces, Different LightsThe kitchen needs stronger lighting with task lighting over the countertop surfaces. The living room needs lighting that throws the designs into an interesting play and enhances ambience.  As Raychaudhuri points out, “Many people prefer to view art objects without being distracted by the lighting equipment that illuminates them.” He suggests the lighting level for highlighting elements in a living space could be 50-100-200 lux, whereas the general lighting could be 40-80-160 lux.In case of kitchens, the focal point is most often the cabinetry, and surrounding surfaces. The wood, tiles,  etc., should be well lit, enhancing their appearance and functionality. Accent lighting of special objects such as cookware contributes to making the kitchen the feature place it has become in many homes. The suggested general lighting in kitchens is 50-100-200 lux and for task lighting  it is 150-300-600 lux. The future’s bright and its in your hands — make the switch!  (This story was published in BW | Businessworld Issue Dated 15-12-2014)

Ale But Not Hearty

In the late 1990s, the per capita consumption of beer in both India and China was exactly the same at half a litre per year. Today, Karan Bilimoria, founder and chairman of Cobra beer, says China’s per capita consumption of beer is 32 litres while India’s is just 1.6 litres. That’s because China has made beer affordable and available to its masses, he says, while India has slapped irrational taxes and made the drink — globally regarded as a socially acceptable one a luxury and a vice.  Bilimoria argues that it’s better to encourage beer drinking which has less alcohol content (about 8-14 per cent) and curb the consumption of harder spirits and country liquor (40 per cent alcohol content). The All India Brewers Association (AIBA), an independent body representing the brewing industry, also feels it’s high time a sensible tax structure was introduced on alcohol. Tax reforms, it says are a better way of curbing alcoholism than prohibition.  According to AIBA, globally liquor is taxed based on alcohol content which is why in France hard liquor is taxed five times higher than beer while in Germany it’s six times higher. In India, it is the reverse. The result is for consumers the price of 3 pegs of Indian-made foreign liquor is lower than a bottle of beer, leading to more consumption of harder liquor, which is more damaging to health.  With hard liquor showing a higher growth than beer thanks to these price anomalies, the tendency among beer manufacturers has been to try and cater to consumer taste and produce stronger beer adding to the public health problem. India is perhaps the only country where beer with alcohol content of up to 8 per cent abv (alcohol by volume) is allowed. Almost every beer manufacturer has launched a strong variant. AIBA also claims that it costs more to produce beer or wine than hard liquor.  Also, globally, beer can be picked up from retail stores and is widely available as it’s not put in the same category as hard liquor. In India, it can be sold only through licenced outlets and there is just one licenced outlet per 18,000 Indians compared to one per 300 in China.  “There is a case for issuing a separate licence for beer and wine for restaurants and retail outlets and another for hard liquor,” argues Bilimoria. AIBA’s suggestions: deregulate the availability of beer, bring beer into GST, set up a beer board.  These are eminently sensible suggestions supported by economic theory which says taxes should be consistent with social policies. Given the spirited condemnation that Kerala government’s moves towards prohibition are eliciting, tax reforms might be a better alternative. Till then ale makers will have to live with ‘in-tax-ication’!  (This story was published in BW | Businessworld Issue Dated 03-11-2014)

How To Be A Vodka Snob

Do you get shirty  when met with the talk that whiskey is posh and all the rest is tosh? Well, with vodka steadily climbing up the super premium ladder, next time you meet those single malt bores, you can square your shoulders and down your drink with attitude. And when the whiskey type drones on about the quality of barley, you can go with the grain and talk rye and wheat. Or get fruity and talk grape and potato.For all those who think vodka is a flavourless, textureless, colourless liquid that is only a great canvas for a heady cocktail and nothing else beyond, think again. Vodka’s image — from being the elixir of the masses that intoxicated generations of Russians to a refined liquor that could sit proudly at any aristocrat’s table — has been steadily climbing. But it’s since the mid 1990s when marketers came up with luxe aspirational brands that vodka drinking has become fashionable.   A host of super premium vodka brands — most of them available in India — emphasise the depth of personality that the drink can have if you stop mixing it with juices and savour it neat. Although vodka’s popularity is because it can stand up and be drunk like a martini in Agent 007 style or because it’s a great base for some of the most inventive concoctions, but on the whole the vodka purist would recommend it not to be shaken and stirred. It is best had on the rocks with a twist of lime. Meanwhile, here are some tips to get you started to counter the whiskey man.Talk HistoryIf whiskey can trace its origins to monks and medicine from the Gaellic region, then vodka too dates back to medieval ages with a similar start but from the harsher climes of Eastern Europe. The Poles and Russians still argue over where it originated with both countries claiming it as their own. Monk Isidore from the Chudov Monastery is believed to have made the recipe for the first Russian vodka while the Poles say they introduced the distillation process first. You can take either side as you reminisce about how vodka has been a constant spirit in Eastern European politics — from taxes on taverns to street uprisings to battle zones.  Talk GrainsTake a cue from Charles Gibb, president, Belvedere, the super premium vodka from the house of Moet Hennesy, who talks about their halo product Belvedere Gold thus. “It’s the ultimate expression of our rye. We use a baker’s grade rye versus industrial rye though we use the same water to magnify the rye character.”Gibb waxes eloquent about the quality of rye versus wheat. “Wheat bread is quite bland, it lacks personality. But if you look at rye, it has a lot of character and complexity.  There’s not just taste but texture. ”On the other hand, talk to Russian or Swedish distillers who are partial to wheat and they will hold forth on the magic of this grain. And then there are the multigrain lot. Arun Aditya Singla, MD of Kristal Spirits India which retails Fashion Vodka, made from blends, says, “If we use blend, the taste is mild and remarkably silky, smooth and extraordinary. The texture is delicate and has soft long-lasting finish.”Talk FruitFrom acorns to raspberry, sage to sorrel, nearly every ingredient in the world has been tried out on vodka to flavour it and add a touch of distinction. Even the very base has been innovated on with vodka not just produced from grain but from potato and beet too. But it took the French with their wine making prowess to try out grapes as a base. CÎROC, for instance, is crafted from fine French grapes. According to Bhavesh Somaya, marketing and innovation director at Diageo India, “Uncommon on every level, from the uniqueness of its grape composition, to the innovative cold fermentation and maceration techniques, CÎROC has subtle aromatics and a smooth, refined taste.”Talk WaterVodka comes from the word voda which means water in Russian or from woda in Polish. Just like whiskey which originates from the Gaellic uisge which means water of life, for vodka too, it’s the water and the distillation that separates the sublime from the ordinary. Look at the label and see how the vodka marketer will tom tom the pure spring water origin or list out the distillation process.Talk BrandsUltimately, let’s face it — the drink may be delicious as sin or tasteless as water, but the hype is all in the label. Be it the hourglass shaped bottle of Invincible Vodka or the silver, red or gold packaging of Belvedere, the bottle does half the talking.  The rest is for you to make up as you go along.  (This story was published in BW | Businessworld Issue Dated 06-10-2014)

Uncle Sam Lays Out The Red Carpet For Indians

In 2013, around 859,000 visitors from India toured US and between them spent $5.6 billion during their trip.  That makes Indian visitors the 10th largest contributors to US tourism, just behind the French who spent $5.9 billion.Indian visitors to the US have also been steadily increasing the length of their stay in the US with the average length of stay now up to 20 days from 18 days last year.  Given the high value that the Indian visitor brings, it's not surprising then that Uncle Sam came calling trying to entice more Indians to visit US shores.  The target is 1.3 million visitors from India by 2018.Brand USA, the tourism roadshow that began three years ago with a promotional blitzkrieg in two cities - Delhi and Mumbai - was here yet again. This time with yet another city – Bangalore - added to the itinerary.  Apart from showcasing a range of destinations and diverse experiences Indian tourists can enjoy in the US, the message being rammed home during the pitch to tour operators, media and travel fraternity was that the US is doing all it can to ease visa regulations and processes. Jay Gray, Vice President Global Market Development, Brand USA for instance talked about how most consulates here are now giving out 10-year visas so that repeated visits are not needed. In addition, he described how a new immigration facility set up by the US in Abu Dhabi allows passengers on certain flights to the US to clear immigration, customs and agriculture inspections there itself during transit so that they can sail through as domestic arrival when entering the This facility is available for passengers on certain Etihad flights.According to Gray, one of the reasons for the big lift in Indian arrivals to the US is the connectivity push provided by Emirates and Etihad. “Now you have these airlines connecting smaller cities in India to the US at a great price,” says Gray, also mentioning the comfortable new A-380 flights from the middle eastern hubs to the US.Significantly, the tourism pitch being made by regions such as Florida, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Las Vegas went beyond the usual theme parks and entertainment zones. Tampa Bay in Florida for instance was pitching for MICE business – playing up the hosting of the IIFA awards there.Tom Kiely, EVP, Tourism, San Francisco Travel Association who said 80,000 Indian visitors passed through his region made it a point to stress that there was more to see beyond the Golden Gate and cable rides in San Francisco. “”There is a diversity of culture experience that San Francisco offers that tourists can wrap their hands around. And then there are wine tours south of San Francisco at Napa Valley, there is the Yosemite national Park..” he said.  And, even as they sold history, culture, museum, great drives - hold your breath, the Brand USA mission actually even unveiled a Food Guide – with plenty of vegetarian options - to tempt the Indian visitor!  Food and the US? We asked Jay Gray - who at once talked about Tex Mex. Well, the way to a tourist's heart certainly appears to be through the stomach! chitra@businessworld.inChitra.narayanan@gmail.com 

Can We Regain Paradise?

Who could ever say no to a trip to heaven on earth Kashmir? So, when the invitation came from The Khyber Himalayan Resort and Spa at Gulmarg, I packed my bags excitedly, joining a group of travel writers and bloggers. With the typical insouciance of an urban dweller, I brushed aside all news of inclement weather and a state bracing itself for floods.It was only when we were on the road to Gulmarg that it hit us that a paradise already scarred by insurgency was now being badly mutilated by nature. As we crossed her, Jhelum seemed consumed with fury. Ahead, emerald green paddy fields where rice stalks should have swayed confidently lay flat destroyed by wind and water. Branches from wounded trees floated on flooded roads. Shivering and bedraggled crows cawed pitifully. The main road connecting Srinagar to Gulmarg was cut off as a bridge near Tanmarg had been swept away.  But there were circuitous detours that took us to Gulmarg, where we were insulated and cocooned in a luxurious higher perch. Rice Field destroyed by water and windBut we monitored the news from Srinagar and the rising death toll with growing unease. Cooped indoors due to the rain, we chatted with hotel staff who shared videos whatsapped to them by their relatives. We saw eyewitness recordings of a bus overturning in the middle of a heavily flooded road and passengers floating, of rivers lashing at roads literally cutting them.  Somehow the amateurish little phone recordings were more horrific than the TV news images.On Sunday, the phone lines snapped. The Internet stopped working, the electricity became erratic, the hotel GM began worrying about supplies, especially diesel and ordered a la carte orders to be stopped, wisely rationing food and serving buffet meals.  We were utterly cut off.  Several guests including a few from our group had flights to catch and set out extra early. By afternoon some of the guests returned dispiritedly saying they just could not breach Srinagar as the water on the roads was way too high.  Till night we had no clue whether our group had made it or not until Akbar the driver returned.  He reported that they had made it to Bemina driving through water but had been forced to turn back. Undeterred he had found another route and got them to the airport. He promised to do the same for us too.On Monday, the sun peeped out and Akbar inspired confidence. On the way, he told us in a most matter of fact tone that his own family was stuck in his village in Anantnag and he had absolutely no news about them.  God willing they will be safe, he said.  There was absolutely no anger, distress or panic, but stoic fatalism. Just like Zulfi the travel guide and a few shepherds I had met during my morning walk who shrugged aside the destruction as “khuda ki marzi” and cheerfully offered a cup of “Lipton tea” to Ma’aam.As always when adversity strikes, it’s the way people react that is interesting. Akbar could have joined the set of drivers who failed to turn up or pleaded fuel shortage to refuse trips to Srinagar. But he steered us through tough roads, through dirt tracks and villages where we saw people piling all their vegetables in carts to send to rescue camps. Just a few kms short of the airport near some place called Budgum we were stopped by a police barricade. The cops said they were not allowing any private cars further ahead as they wanted the roads free for the big rescue trucks.  No amount of entreaties worked. So with a show of bravado, we started walking the last few miles, not even daring to think about how we would negotiate the slush or water ahead towing heavy suitcases.But our guardian angels were working overtime. Out of the blue, a car with three people inside stopped, a man said “Airport?” and hustled us in, quelling any questions as he rapidly conversed in Kashmiri with the driver, navigating us through narrowest of alleys and depositing us at the baggage screening check point of the airport. Dazedly we got down, but before we could thank them, the car had vanished.  At the Srinagar airport, all systems had broken down. Computers were not working, the airline staff struggled with manual boarding passes and baggage tags. Most of the staff were new to the airport anyway having been flown in as regular staff were stranded in the city. The people milling around were largely patient, simply grateful they had been rescued from their hotels either by helicopter or trucks. Several had left their belongings behind, but were not really fussing about it. With ATMs not working, we saw concerned people giving their remaining cash to people left behind. We heard stories of locals sheltering tourists and ferrying them somehow out. A gentle old lady from Delhi captured our feelings when she said we tourists had become a liability for the locals consuming their precious fuel, food and even the attention of the rescue missions, and she would send aid once she got back home.Everyone was in this together and helping each other blindly. There was no us or them. A friend’s wistful remark resonated -  if only this almost biblical deluge sweeping the valley could cleanse away the animosity, and we could start afresh, paradise would be regained.   chitra@businessworld.inchitra.narayanan@gmail.com@ndcnn (Travel for this story was sponsored by The Khyber Himalayan Resort and Spa)

The Keys To What The Customer Wants

“Here’s the irony — a company that we worked for all our lives took 112 years to get to 100 hotels in India. And we want to do the same number in just ten years,” says Partha Chatterjee, Executive Director at Keys Hotels. "Of course, times are different and growth is faster now", he adds hurriedly.   Chatterjee is talking about the venerable Taj Hotels, where he and his managing director Sanjay Sethi spent two decades working, before they left to start up Keys for Beggruen Hotels.  For a hotel company that started off in September 2007, Keys has already got a good number of properties signed up to get to the coveted 100 mark – 33 to be precise of which 12 are operational with an inventory of over 1,200 rooms. Funded by Berggruen Holdings, Keys Hotel was seeded to fill the gap that existed in the mid market space. “Bergrgruen wanted to build a hospitality company in the mid-market segment because there was a dearth of quality in mid market,” says Chatterjee, who oversees marketing and business development for the company. Since he was part of the team that had set up Ginger for the Taj group, he was a natural choice. Alex Joshi, Partha Chatterjee, Pradeep V - Senior management, Keys HotelsBut before it started building hotels, Keys did a smart thing – it hired Research International to find out what exactly the modern traveller wanted. “Our biggest USP is that we let you relax in our hotels, because we have built it exactly like you wanted us to build it,” says Chatterjee. It got in brand consultancy Chlorophyll to set the brand strategy and branding standards.“Through our research, we found that customers wanted business centres to be open 24/7 so we made a provision whereby they could open it with their key card. ““We found that business travellers chose a hotel not because it was comfortable to stay there, but it was comfortable to work there. So we made it convenient for them to work by placing ergonomic chairs and tables and providing wi-fi free anywhere in the hotel,” points out Chatterjee.The learnings and insights from the research were plenty. And each time a new need would be thrown up, Chatterjee says they would go back to their architects and give them the list of requirements that people wanted and said use it as a brief to build the hotel.“There are many simple things you will find based on customer insights. Very often guests forget to pack shaving creams and other items. But it’s a nuisance going to shop for those. So we created a dispensing machine which has everything. You use your room key, you swipe it. And whatever you have picked up will be charged to your hotel bill. The convenience of this is what the guest wanted,” says Chatterjee.But didn’t they end up opening Keys during the toughest period – the slowdown years ? Vending machineChatterjee admits that the occupancy has been lower than anticipated due to the slowdown and the breakeven target has been pushed back to eight years. But he says they were efficient in building. “See, the biggest thing we did was that the price at which we build our hotels, even at a low occupancy we can break even. Normally, we manage to build our hotels at Rs 30 lakh per key, which is very efficient, considering that we use international standards. “But not only did Keys run into the slowdown period, it also faced intense competition – with many other players entering the mid market fray. So how is it coping with the supply glut?“We are having low occupancy, but I see it going up,” says Chatterjee. And to back his optimism he lays out some figures. “Last year, the government announced that 450 million Indians were travelling. Travelling does not mean staying at hotels necessarily. But this data capture is getting more and more accurate. Earlier, the government could capture only train and air data. But now because of toll roads, you are getting road data too – and the projections are that 600 million Indians would be travelling a year.”Other mid-market chains in India have promised us affordable rooms but lost no time in opportunistically upping the rates whenever demand has risen. Will we see it happening at Keys too?  “You won’t see us raising rates from Rs 3,000 to Rs 10,000 – at most we might go from Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,000,” says Chatterjee.Chatterjee also points out that Keys for its part is trying to induce demand by promoting Staycations. A concept where people residing in a city check into a hotel in the same city to enjoy a break. “It is very early stages of the trend still. But we are pushing it with a good hub and spoke model. That means a place to stay within four to five hours driving distance from a city,” he says.Chitra(dot)narayanan(at)abp(dot)inchitra (dot) narayanan@gmail.com(at)ndcnn  

Betting On Mighty MICE

At the moment, the towering new 16 storey Hyatt Regency in Manesar — or New Gurgaon as the owners euphemistically call the area — stands a bit forlornly on the Delhi-Jaipur highway.But Federico Mantoani, the genial general manager of the 451 room hotel, thinks this will be a buzzing conference and events destination pretty soon. “It’s the biggest conference venue in Haryana,” said Mantoani as he threw open the hotel's huge events space on Tuesday.The highway hotel claims to offer over 40,000 sq ft of meeting space. The Regency Ballroom spread over 20,000 sq ft can seat 3000 guests reception style while there are about eight breakout rooms in the banqueting area that can seat 100 people each.Mantaoni said the hotel which is located fairly close to both the bustling industrial corridor of Manesar as well as the corporate nerve centre of Gurgaon is targeting the lucrative MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) market. He felt the venue had the potential to attract both domestic as well as international conferences.But is India really such a hot MICE destination? Especially with aggressive Bangkok and Dubai in the vicinity? And with our unfriendly visa policies?Optimists in the hospitality industry point to the Hyderabad success story. In 2012, Hyderabad was declared best city for MICE in Asia by MICE Report, the global business traveller magazine.Indeed, ever since the Hyderabad International Convention Centre which can host 8,000 delegate sessions came up, the city of pearls has seen a burst in MICE volumes and toppled Delhi's standing as India's meetings capital. Managed by French hotel operator Accor and jointly owned by Emaar Properties PJSC Dubai and Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation, the Hyderabad convention centre has helped fill up hotel rooms in the city.Indeed, a lot of hopes in the hotel and tourism industry are riding on the conventions business. Taking a cue from Hyderabad, the Tamil Nadu government has set up the Chennai Convention Centre that can hold up to 2000 delegates. A lot of new hotels have recently sprung up in the southern city scenting possibilities. The new ITC Grand Chola in Chennai has built sizeable convention space too.A recent HVS report points out how while they wait for the development of fullfledged convention centres across various cities, hotel developers are increasingly taking matters into their own hands and building hotels with extensive meeting and conference facilities.In Kochi, for instance, NRI businessman Yusuf Ali who has interests in hospitality and retail, has announced mega plans of building a 3,000 guest convention centre at Bolgaty islands.He has leased 30 acres of land from the Port Trust of Cochin for the project, which will also see a Lulu Grand Hyatt hotel coming alongside the convention centre. Of course, he's still battling for permissions. And also battling against all sorts of opposition.Mantaoni, who has been with the Hyatt group for 16 years including at the Grand Hyatt, Dubai, says that the chain is globally is betting big on MICE and it's no different in India. Ditto for Accor, which says it is pretty bullish on the convention market here. Apart from Hyderabad, it also operates the Lavasa International Convention Centre spread over 1.5 acres at the planned hill city of Lavasa.Delhi which till recently was leading the convention market in India with large events spaces such as the Vigyan Bhawan, Ashoka Hotel and India Habitat Centre has been comparatively slow in adding new supply though the Aerocity promises to fill the gap. However there is big question market about when this supply will actually come about.And India still has a long way to go. According to the International Congress and Convention Association, India is 27th in the global MICE tourism market. Although growing, it's still nowhere near Thailand's spectacular showing. Thailand grew its market at 19 per getting 895,224 MICE visitors in 2012.