When the legendary Biki Oberoi opened his palace-hotels years ago, many in the Indian hospitality industry thought the hotelier was going to lose money on these exotic luxury resorts. Will guests pay up to Rs 3 lakh a night? But not only is Oberoi making money, each of these properties in Udaipur, Jaipur, Agra and Ranthambore has been ranked among the top in the world. “If the guest is assured of a unique experience, he is fine paying top dollars,” says Akshay Kulkarni, regional director, hospitality, Cushman & Wakefield. Oberoi sure knew that when it comes to luxury, repetition is the last thing customers want.
It is an important lesson that world’s leading luxury chains are learning very fast. They are making sure that guests don’t find one particular fault in their products—predictability. Gone are the days when a Marriott in Kigali would have had the same look and feel as the one in Hanoi. When it comes to providing a bespoke experience, there’s only one mantra for hoteliers: Localise, localise and localise.
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(This story appears in the 22 March, 2013 issue of Forbes India. To visit our Archives, click here.)
India has emerged as one of the most popular tourist destinations and is flocked by a large number of foreign tourists from all around the world. This necessitated a need for luxury hotels in India to suit the accommodation requirements of different travelers. New Delhi, Gurgaon. www.dahleezhotels.com/budget-hotels-in-gurgaon.php
on Apr 26, 2013The more the world is going global, the more the need to localize. In today\'s connected world, standardization is best left to back-office. Everyone wants to feel unique and special. Hospitality is one sector where this has profound impact. Having said, i am loving every moment of this Glocalization.
on Mar 26, 2013