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If you step out into <keyword id="19895037" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="bengaluru" source="keywords">Bengaluru</keyword> traffic these days, there’s a good chance you’ll discover a bulky water tanker spearheading the all-too-familiar clog in traffic. Amidst the ongoing <keyword id="6355836" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="water-crisis" source="Orion">water crisis</keyword>, India’s Silicon City has mobilised thousands of tankers that zip, almost heroically, across the city, rescuing parched residences from the metro’s urban planning crisis. Bidding to reduce their reliance on the exorb<keyword id="6354185" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="it" source="Orion">it</keyword>ant tankers — a necessary step after the exhaustion of half the city’s groundwater-fed borewells — many residential societies have begun innovating water-saving techniques, with varying degrees of success. However, for the several businesses and industries littering the metropolitan town, it seems like dark days are looming. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="IT in turmoil" comment="subhead" text="IT in turmoil">IT in turmoil</cmsannotation> Hosting over 1,400 tech companies that employ tens of lakhs of employees, Bengaluru has certainly earned its title as India’s ‘Silicon Valley’. Not only has this driven a rapid boom in economic, infrastructural and industrial development, the city has acted as a magnet for people looking for attractive employment opportunities. Unfortunately, this success has also resulted in <a href="https://bpac.in/bangalore-population-growth-consequences-and-possible-solutions/" data-type="tilCustomLink">population levels haphazardly spiking</a> from 2,900 people per square kilometre in 2001 to 4,300 within a single decade. Estimates suggest that this figure may have breached 8,000 by now! In addition to deterring water-cooler conversations, the lack of water in their workplaces have led to several companies already urging employees to work from home. Echoing a growing sentiment among the city’s techies, <a href="https://m.economictimes.com/news/india/it-companies-in-bengaluru-urged-to-give-15-lakh-employees-wfh-option-as-city-grapples-with-water-crisis/articleshow/108761390.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">ex-Chief Justice K Sreedhar Rao also pleaded</a> for temporary remote arrangements for migrant IT workers to depopulate Bengaluru till the water crisis is dealt with. However, many such multinational employees have already begun to preemptively take matters into their own hands by temporarily or permanently moving to other cities, such as the nearby Mysuru. Needless to say, this has disrupted operations for many companies, including some of the top IT firms in Bengaluru. In a surprising turn of tragic events, senior personnel at <keyword id="19969515" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="dell" source="keywords">Dell</keyword> have begun skipping meetings to prioritise their procurement of water, reported the Deccan Herald. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Real estate rates to fall; restaurants forced to adapt" comment="subhead" text="Real estate rates to fall; restaurants forced to adapt"><keyword id="6354553" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="real-estate" source="Orion">Real estate</keyword> rates to fall; restaurants forced to adapt</cmsannotation> With pleasant weather the year round, Bengaluru has proven itself time and again as an excellent place to settle down and relax. The city’s diverse population is a testament to its uncanny ability to draw people from all over India, even before the city’s notable IT boom. Real estate has now hit an all-time high, with high demand and attractive financial options helping the sector grow exponentially in the past few decades, reportedly recording a staggering nine-year-high 54,000 housing units sold in 2023. However, the city’s recent water woes have left potential property investors second-guessing. According to a recent Deccan Herald poll, around 60% of the respondents noted that they have postponed their move to Bengaluru due to the ongoing shortage, while a similar number of people have also begun evaluating investment options in other cities. Homebuyers have also begun to diligently inquire into <keyword id="55273" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="groundwater" source="Orion">groundwater</keyword> borewell depths and water-saving technologies when consulting developers. While <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/business/bengaluru-water-crisis-alarms-property-investors-dh-poll-2930539" data-type="tilCustomLink">many contractors remain firm</a> that these reactions are not representative of a long-term trend, some experts have predicted that a fall in property prices may become inevitable. A <a href="https://www.republicworld.com/business/real-estate/bengaluru-water-crisis-property-prices-in-peenya-hsr-layout-marathahalli-to-fall-15-say-experts/" data-type="tilCustomLink">Republic report</a> explains that house rates could fall up to 10-15% in the most water-stressed regions of East and Central Bengaluru, including HSR Layout, Marathahalli, Rajaji Nagar and Peenya. Needless to say, the crisis has also taken a toll on Bengaluru’s various hotels and eateries, many of which are severely dependent on tanker water for cooking, cleaning and drinking purposes. Krishna Raj, owner of the popular <keyword id="21126683" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="nisarg-grand-hotel" source="keywords">Nisarg Grand Hotel</keyword>, <a href="https://www.livemint.com/news/india/bengaluru-water-crisis-news-hotels-disposable-utensils-shortage-lok-sabha-polls-karnataka-dk-shivakumar-congress-bjp-11710055127680.html" data-type="tilCustomLink">explained</a> that they might have to begin serving food in disposable utensils if the trend continues into the summer months. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Industrial district parched" comment="subhead" text="Industrial district parched">Industrial district parched</cmsannotation> Located in Northwest Bengaluru, Peenya is home to thousands of industries of varying sizes, producing a host of electronics, textiles, packaging, machines and other consumer items. However, being one of the largest industrial areas in Asia hasn’t protected its businesses from the ongoing crisis. In an <a href="https://www.business-standard.com/industry/news/bengaluru-water-crisis-to-impact-local-industries-in-coming-weeks-experts-124030601026_1.html" data-type="tilCustomLink">interview with Business Standard</a>, <keyword id="21126682" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="peenya-industries-association" source="keywords">Peenya Industries Association</keyword> President H. M. Arif explained that the area’s micro-industries are strained to the point that many could be forced to close soon if the water crisis continues unmitigated. Many such sectors have also become hopelessly reliant on tanker water, and the associated rising costs have begun to bottleneck the manufacturing process. Prices of several commercial products could go up soon if this trend continues. “Many from the hosiery or garment sector need water for processing,” Arif explains. “You need water for workers as well as other needs. The government is saying it will source recycled water for the industry. But for that, there is a tendering process and at this rate, we will not get water this season.” <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Solutions and cautious optimism" comment="subhead" text="Solutions and cautious optimism">Solutions and cautious optimism</cmsannotation> This is not to say that the government isn’t taking measures to tackle the crisis. After ordaining centralised control over water tankers and actively regulating prices to ensure the city’s water isn’t hoarded solely by the rich, officials also placed bans on recreational water use. In addition, initiatives are underway to “inject” 1,300 million litres of purified water into the city’s drying lakes per day, which the officials allege will help restore local groundwater levels. <keyword id="19927086" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bwssb" source="keywords">BWSSB</keyword> has also announced plans to build an array of next-gen water treatment plants near restored lake beds to purify and deliver water wherever required. Addressing the harsh summers ahead, Karnataka government officials have expressed optimism that the completion of the Cauvery Five — a massive array of treatment plants that will treat sewage to produce 100 million litres of water a day — will help make up for any deficits by July. Meanwhile, many large corporations, including Microsoft, have begun utilising water-saving tap aerators to control water flow in the Bagmane Business Park offices. The city’s water board, the BWSSB, has also launched four mobile apps to help tackle the city’s water crisis. Attempting to bridge a gap between the water department and the citizens it serves, these apps will help residents book water online, apply for borewell permissions, report water misuse and more. At 24% of its total capacity, reservoirs across Karnataka are also drying up. Despite growing shortages, the state government has assured that the Cauvery River reservoir that supplies water to Bengaluru holds sufficient water levels to last at least until June. After that, the pre-monsoon and monsoon rains are expected to replenish the water resources. However, the supply remains much lower compared to the demand, and the only way to survive this summer could be to adopt drastic water-saving measures and a few good spells of pre-monsoon showers.

Water crisis affects businesses across Bengaluru; Is there room for cautious optimism?

<ul><li><keyword id="3658" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword> cross record more than ₹85,000 crore in mobile exports in the fiscal year ending March 31.</li><li>Buoyed by attractive government incentives towards local manufacturing, India surpassed a remarkable $10 billion worth smartphone exports in the fiscal year 2022-2023.</li><li>Smartphone exports from India have doubled from a corresponding period from the last fiscal year, driven by production-linked incentive (PLI) schemes.</li></ul>New Delhi, The government push towards local manufacturing of consumer electronics items has helped India cross record more than ₹85,000 crore in mobile exports in the fiscal year ending March 31, industry data showed on Saturday. Buoyed by attractive government incentives towards local manufacturing, India surpassed a remarkable $10 billion worth smartphone exports in the fiscal year 2022-2023, according to the data provided by the <keyword id="7825659" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="india-cellular-and-electronics-association" source="Orion">India Cellular and Electronics Association</keyword> (<keyword id="6816005" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="icea" source="Orion">ICEA</keyword>) to IANS. Smartphone exports from India have doubled from a corresponding period from the last fiscal year, driven by production-linked incentive (PLI) schemes. The top five global destinations India currently exports mobile phones to are the UAE, the US, the Netherlands, the UK and Italy, according to the ICEA data. "The mobile phone industry will cross $40 billion manufacturing output and 25 per cent exports at $10 billion is a stellar performance," Pankaj Mohindroo, Chairman of ICEA, had earlier told IANS. More than 97 per cent of the smartphones sold in India are now being produced locally. India is now the second largest mobile phone manufacturer in the world. According to Minister of State for Electronics and IT, <keyword id="205969" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="rajeev-chandrasekhar" source="Orion">Rajeev Chandrasekhar</keyword>, the year 2023 will be a milestone as the country will cross Rs 1 lakh crore in mobile phone exports this year. India is likely to produce 45-50 per cent of Apple's <keyword id="57315" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="iphones" source="Orion">iPhones</keyword> by 2027, at par with China, where 80-85 per cent of iPhones were produced in 2022. According to estimates, India and Vietnam are to become the biggest beneficiaries of smartphone supply chain migration out of China. India accounted for 10-15 per cent of iPhones' overall production capacity at the end of 2022. Apple became the first smartphone player in India to have exported $1 billion worth iPhones in the month of December. It currently manufactures iPhones 12, 13, 14 and 14 Plus in the country. The country is now moving in a different direction, "which is largely export-focused and led by the government's performance-linked scheme (PLI) pusha. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/cert-in-warns-of-high-severity-vulnerabilities-in-apple-products-urges-immediate-action/articleshow/99231900.cms">CERT-In warns of high-severity vulnerabilities in Apple products, urges immediate action</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/googles-new-features-to-simplify-travel-planning-including-a-mobile-friendly-hotel-browsing-feature-a-price-guarantee-badge-for-flights-and-more/articleshow/99235884.cms">Google’s new features to simplify travel planning, including a mobile-friendly hotel browsing feature, a price guarantee badge for flights, and more</a>

India surpasses ₹85,000 cr worth mobile phone exports in FY23

Star <keyword id="19895063" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="India" source="keywords">India</keyword> batter <keyword id="19907934" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Virat-Kohli" source="keywords">Virat Kohli</keyword> expressed his happiness after he and members of the T20 World Cup-winning Indian team met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday. <keyword id="19899320" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="PM-Modi" source="keywords">PM Modi</keyword> met the ICC T20 World Cup-winning Indian <keyword id="19952180" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="cricket-team" source="keywords">cricket team</keyword> over breakfast at his residence. Following the meeting, Virat took to Instagram and expressed his gratitude for the invitation to the Prime Minister's residence. "What a great honour meeting our honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji today @narendramodi Thank you sir for inviting us to the prime minister's residence," he wrote. Virat did not have a great <keyword id="19921630" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="T20-World-Cup" source="keywords">T20 World Cup</keyword> in terms of his batting scores but he played a vital role in the final against South Africa, anchoring the Indian innings after the early loss of wickets and playing a crucial knock of 76. After just 75 runs in the first seven innings of the competition, he stepped up when it mattered the most. His 76 runs in the final came off 59 balls at a strike rate of 128.81 and included six fours and two sixes. The batter ended the T20 World Cup with 151 runs in eight innings at an average of 18.87 and a strike rate of 112.68 with one fifty. He also announced his retirement from international T20s. In 35 T20 World Cup matches, Virat has scored 1,292 runs at an average of 58.72 and a strike rate of 128.81, with 15 half-centuries. His best score is 89*. He is the highest run-scorer in the history of the tournament. In 125 T20I matches, Virat scored 4,188 runs at an average of 48.69 and a strike rate of 137.04. He scored a century and 38 fifties and a best score of 122*. He ends the format as the second-highest run-getter of all time. Post-meeting, the victorious cricketers departed to the Delhi airport to take a flight to Mumbai where a grand victory parade will be held at the Marine Drive and Wankhede Stadium. Shiv Sena leader Pratap Sarnaik told that India captain <keyword id="19899523" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rohit-Sharma" source="keywords">Rohit Sharma</keyword>, Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dubey and Yashasvi Jaiswal will meet Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Friday at the Assembly. All of them are Mumbai players. "Today's program in Mumbai has been organised by BCCI. Team India players from Mumbai including Captain Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dubey and Yashasvi Jaiswal will come to the Maharashtra Assembly tomorrow to meet CM Eknath Shinde. Being a member of MCA, I invited the players and they have accepted my invitation," Sarnaik said. Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) Secretary Ajinkya Naik has said that there will be free entry for public for the victory parade celebrating India team's win. Earlier today, the T20 World Cup-winning Indian team touched down in the national capital to a warm welcome from fans who waited eagerly to catch a glimpse of their favourite heroes and the trophy. During their meeting with the Prime Minister, the 'Men in Blue' wore a special jersey sporting two stars over the BCCI's emblem. The stars represented the two T20 World Cup wins. The word 'CHAMPIONS' was written on the jersey in bold letters. The squad members, support staff, their families and media were stuck in Barbados, which was hit by Hurricane Beryl. The flight was organised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah and departed on July 2 before arriving in Delhi at around 6 am on Thursday morning. Board officials and members of the media contingent were also on the flight. From the airport, Team India reached the ITC Maurya hotel, where they stayed before their meeting with PM Modi. A special cake featuring the T20 World Cup trophy was cut at the hotel to celebrate the win. Rohit, Virat, Dravid and all-rounder Hardik Pandya were among the stars who took part in the cake-cutting. The cake featured the trophy and some pictures of Indian stars. Much like other teams do after winning titles, the Rohit-led side will have an open-top bus ride in Mumbai at Marine Drive and the iconic Wankhede Stadium from 5 pm. India ended a 13-year ICC World Cup trophy drought with victory in the final, defeating South Africa by seven runs on Saturday. Virat Kohli's 76 helped India reach 176/7 while Hardik Pandya (3/20) and Jasprit Bumrah (2/18) helped India restrict Proteas to 169/8 despite Heinrich Klaasen's 52 in just 27 balls. Bumrah, who got 15 scalps throughout the tournament at a stunning economy rate of 4.17, got the 'Player of the Tournament' honours. 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"A great honour": Virat Kohli after T20 World Cup-winning India team meets PM Modi

<ul><li>Indian Hotels, the operator of Taj Hotels, launched its food delivery platform Qmin at the peak of the pandemic.</li><li>Born out of adversity, this start-up has been profitable since day one in the industry dominated by <keyword id="830092" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="zomato" source="Orion">Zomato</keyword> and <keyword id="6358977" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="swiggy" source="Orion">Swiggy</keyword>.</li><li>Jehangir Press, associate VP, strategic accounts management group and commercial director, Qmin at IHCL speaks to Business Insider India about Taj’s value chain, growth story, journey so far and revenue goals for FY23.</li></ul>Indian Hotels, the operator of Taj Hotels, launched its food delivery platform Qmin two years ago. At the height of the pandemic, instead of outsourcing the Taj Hotel Group’s delivery services to existing platforms, the Tata Group launched its own in-house platform in Qmin. In the last two years, Qmin has generated revenues to the tune of ₹100 crore. This year alone, it hopes to clock in revenues to the tune of ₹80 crore. “We are possibly the only food delivery platform that has been profitable from day one because we have found the right balance of using our existing resources,” Jehangir Press, associate VP, strategic accounts management group and commercial director, Qmin at IHCL, told Business Insider India. The 90-minute delivery service Zomato and its rival Swiggy together hold <a href="https://theprint.in/theprint-essential/are-zomato-swiggy-helping-restaurant-business-or-hurting-it-why-cci-has-ordered-a-probe/905581/">90-95%</a> market share in India’s food delivery business, but also burning cash. In the quarter ending March 2022, Zomato posted a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/zomato-posted-a-1222-crore-loss-but-its-stock-gained-18-reasons-behind-the-surge/articleshow/91766080.cms">net loss</a> of ₹1,222 crore, which widened by ₹400 crore since last year. With Qmin, the Tata Group could move away from having to depend on the likes of Zomato or Swiggy for deliveries. Qmin also gave the group complete control over the entire value chain from food preparation to delivery. “We have 100% control – over the value chain and with that, you are in control of the safety, hygiene, and health of everything that you're sending out. Also, we obviously cannot compromise on hygiene and safety. We took a call and even though it costs us substantially more, we went with the complete ecosystem,” said Press. Unlike its competitors that have been focusing on chopping their delivery time from 30 minutes to 10 minutes, Qmin says it has prioritized safety, security, hygiene, sustainability and delivering a luxurious experience. Qmin takes up to 90 minutes to deliver its orders. Its menu starts from ₹200 onwards and Qmin’s family feast widget and Fiama pizzas are the most ordered meals on the app. <div type="image" title="Qmin Packaging image" msid="93520889" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Qmin&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> It has delivered over a million meals to consumers so far and donated over 57,000 meals to flood-affected areas of Assam. From luxury food delivery to gourmet dining cafes While it started off as a gourmet food delivery service, Qmin has expanded into different food categories with the launch of its food truck, gourmet eatery shops and Qmin quick service restaurant (QSR). Its food trucks are stationed outside corporate offices and it also caters to private house parties. <div type="image" title="3 (1)" msid="93520927" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Qmin&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> Qmin shops, present in Mumbai and Delhi, retail international food items such as breads, handcrafted cheeses, meats, patisserie items, etc. Qmin also has 13 QSRs in Bengaluru and will be expanding its presence in the country in the coming months. “We're looking at atleast 100 plus shops in QSRs to very quickly open up all across the country. Our truck business will also grow, (but) not at the same pace. The shops are where we see the major growth,” said Press. Qmin is also looking at expanding its presence across borders, starting with the UK, US and UAE markets. While delivery and retail shops contribute almost equally to Qmin’s overall sales, Press is confident that retail shops will contribute a lion’s share of the revenue in the near future.

Qmin has been profitable business for IHCL from day one, says Jehangir Press

<ul><li>India’s hotel industry is headed for a slow recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, it is also poised to be a major contributor to <keyword id="977682" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="online-travel">online travel</keyword>’s doubling growth over the next five years. </li><li>A Goldman Sachs report pegs hotels to be the fastest growing segment within the sector with a CAGR (compounded annual growth rate) of 20%.</li><li>Even with the hopeful outlook, hoteliers will have to be patient as the recovery is expected to be slow in the near-term.</li></ul>The battered Indian hospitality industry can make room for growth over the next five years, if they survive the low phase during the pandemic and the key to survival is a robust digital strategy. India’s millions of hotel rooms will have to opt for a digital transformation. Even though the situation looks bleak, Goldman Sachs believes that ‘all hope is not lost’ for hotels in the online space. The report dated July 2020 says that the online travel industry in India is expected to double in the next five years. <div type="image" title="travel." msid="77670730" hostid="261"></div> And hotels will be the fastest-growing segment within the sector with a CAGR (compounded annual growth rate) of 20%. “We estimate hotels alone will contribute c.47% of the online travel revenue pool in India by FY25 (36% in FY20), making it the key battleground within the space,” said the report. Adapting technology and joining branded hotel chains will be key to survival India’s current online penetration is one of the lowest in the world at just 22%, according to the report. Out of the 2 million rooms accounted for hotel rooms in India, only over 140,000 are affiliated with hotel chains. Long-term growth will be driven by budget hotels falling under the unorganized category, who are deeper in the Indian market and can be brought online, believe analysts at Goldman Sachs. “These last few months have proved that branded hotels are and will continue to be the safest environment even in the worst pandemic. Along with safety, hotel brands that figure out how to offer meaningful experiences will lead the way,” said Ankur Gupta, Managing Partner &amp; Head of India Real Estate, Brookfield Asset Management in a report by JLL. All hope is not lost While hotel chains like <keyword id="74790" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lemon-Tree">Lemon Tree</keyword>, Indian Hotels Company, which is a subsidiary of Tata Group, EIH which runs Oberoi and Trident, and hospitality unicorn <keyword id="2808667" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="OYO">OYO</keyword> are all set to benefit from it, the biggest beneficiary could be <keyword id="54613" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="makemytrip">MakeMyTrip</keyword> which currently accounts for 50% of the online hotel aggregator market. For the first three months of the year, MakeMyTrip had reported a 15.9% fall in adjusted revenue to $137.2 million. The NASDAQ-listed company also posted an adjusted operating loss of $10.3 million. MakeMyTrip, which is set to announce its earnings results today, had said during the last earnings call that the current quarter might see its losses ballooning to over $20 billion, but over the next few quarters they will bring down the loss to the $10 million range before targeting breakeven. Recovery will be slow The Hotels Association of India recently requested the <a href="http://bwhotelier.businessworld.in/article/Indian-Hotel-Sector-will-collapse-if-not-supported-by-the-Govt-and-RBI-HAI/28-07-2020-302439/">government</a> to step in to help the sector citing losses to the tune of ₹90,000 crore this year. With hotels being shut for over three months and now opening gradually across the country, the listed hoteliers have all gone to report massive losses for the first quarter of the financial year. Patanjali Keswani, Chairman &amp; Managing Director, Lemon Tree let out a word of caution even said that while he is hopeful for a gradual recovery in the second half of the year, he is still shoring up cash for the next one year, "assuming the worst-case scenario." MakeMyTrip has liquidity of nearly $168 million as of 31st March which will help them survive for two years. But despite the weak beginning to the financial year, the Unlock India phases and the gradual opening of hotels, most recently in <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/delhi-allows-re-opening-of-hotels-and-weekly-markets-gyms-to-remain-closed/articleshow/77634741.cms">Delhi</a>, has revived the hopes and the optimism reflects in share price of the listed hoteliers this month. . <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; width: 468pt; table-layout: fixed;"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Hotel Chain </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Stock action in Aug so far </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Lemon Tree </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">+35% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Chalet Hotels </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">+17.9% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">EIH </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">+35.7% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Indian Hotels Company </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">24.8% </td></tr></tbody></table> Revenge travel will help the battered industry recover <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/revenge-travel-is-the-only-way-indian-hotels-can-make-money-but-it-will-take-over-two-years-to-even-match-pre-covid-levels/articleshow/77586911.cms">Revenge travel </a>will help the hotel industry recover. The term gained popularity in <a href="https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3080361/chinas-airlines-are-poised-bout-revenge-travelling-bookings">China</a>, after people having been stuck in a lockdown, started travelling within the country, to be able to just to get out of their homes. A <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/travel-logistics-and-transport-infrastructure/our-insights/the-way-back-what-the-world-can-learn-from-chinas-travel-restart-after-covid-19">Mckinsey</a> report says that the end of lockdown would mean the first thing people would want to do is eat out, and the second thing is travel. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/ola-is-staring-at-an-internal-crisis-with-seven-cxo-level-exits-in-eight-months/articleshow/77670080.cms">Ola is staring at an internal crisis with seven CXO level exits in eight months</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/google-eyes-indias-sharechat-as-microsoft-goes-after-tiktok-in-the-us-heres-why-it-makes-sense/articleshow/77667345.cms">Google eyes India’s ShareChat as Microsoft goes after TikTok in the US — here’s why it makes sense</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/tiktok-instagram-and-youtube-data-leak-exposes-data-of-235-million-users/articleshow/77668688.cms">TikTok, Instagram and YouTube data leak exposes data of 235 million users</a>

Here's why MakeMyTrip, OYO, Lemon Tree and likes may reap the most out of the long-term recovery in hotels

The domestic hospitality industry is gearing up to make the most of full-fledged <keyword id="8206" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="christmas" source="Orion">Christmas</keyword> and <keyword id="6389817" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="new-year" source="Orion">New Year</keyword> celebrations this time around after two years of washout by the pandemic, with rooms at many hotels and resorts already sold out. As people seek to make up for the winter holidays lost to COVID-19, destinations like Karjat, Lonavala, Vizag, Dharamshala, <keyword id="42774" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="udaipur" source="Orion">Udaipur</keyword>, <keyword id="6363190" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="manali" source="Orion">Manali</keyword> and Gir are witnessing good demand, apart from traditional popular places like <keyword id="826" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="goa" source="Orion">Goa</keyword>, Kerala and Shimla. "The year-end festive season looks very positive and this year appears to be one of the best years so far for the hospitality sector," Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels Ltd Managing Director, Vijay Dewan told PTI in an e-mailed response. He further said, "All our hotels are gearing up for sold out spaces along with high occupancy in rooms. This year we have lined up some great events during Christmas and New Year's which the guests missed out during the last 2 years due to the pandemic." Mahindra Holidays &amp; Resorts India Ltd (MHRIL) Managing Director and CEO Kavinder Singh, "If you really look at it this year, this Christmas and New Year will be the first proper Christmas-New Year after 2020...if I were to look at December occupancy, in some of our resorts we have no space for even a single room available in December because people have all booked up." Even in 2021, he said the Christmas and New Year celebrations were marred after the outbreak of the Omicron variant of the COVID-19, which continued beyond January. Now, Singh said, people are going to Coorg, Gir, Shimla, Manali beyond the usual destinations like Goa, while some are even travelling abroad to places like Singapore and Dubai. There is a very high level of occupancy in the southern side, he said, adding in the western region locations like Alibaugh and Lonavala are already full. "It's a very, very big momentum now in December and January, aided by the holiday season, and years of not being able to spend time in this period of the year with your loved ones, and that is really aiding the momentum in December and January," Singh said. On the kind of demand coming from travellers, Hotel Association of India Vice President K B Kachru said, "We are finding dates getting sold out months in advance and lots of enthusiasm for innovative and creative offers that showcase the locale that the hotel is in, including its culture and cuisine given our unique and authentic culinary specialties across the country through our culinary ambassadors." Kachru, who is also Chairman Emeritus and Principal Advisor, South Asia, Radisson Hotel Group, further said there is an uptick in demand for the upcoming wedding season as well. "Our hotels across key leisure destinations, including Karjat, Lonavala, Vizag, Goa, Dharamshala, and Udaipur are geared up for welcoming guests," he added. InterGlobe Hotels Head - Asset Management, Manoj Agarwal said, "We expect a healthy and robust room demand during the festive season for our leisure destinations. The ongoing travel patterns and trends have had a positive impact on the hospitality industry, and we are quite optimistic with our portfolio performance already surpassing our pre-COVID numbers." Similarly, an OYO spokesperson said, "Based on advanced bookings for the upcoming holiday season between December 25-31, we are witnessing a 44 per cent rise in booking demand, led by leisure cities such as Goa, Hyderabad, Puri, Manali and Kolkata. Business travel is also showing strong signs of revival."

Hotel, resorts sold out as demand soars for first full Christmas-New Year party after two years

After the Indian government made paying service charge in hotels and restaurants optional, there has been a huge cry in the hospitality sector. the <keyword id="146581" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="National-Restaurant-Association-of-India">National Restaurant Association of India</keyword> (<keyword id="92417" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="NRAI">NRAI</keyword>) is clearly not happy with the Centre’s ruling and has cited judicial precedent against making service charge optional. 
 
The NRAI stated customers are free not to eat at a restaurant, if they do not wish to pay the service charge. 
 
NRAI, which represents independent restaurants and chains, said levying service charge was a "common and accepted practice" that was "recognised as such" by various government departments. 
 The government had clarified earlier in <keyword id="6354721" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="parliament">Parliament</keyword> that the authorities could act against those levying a service charge without the knowledge and consent of consumers on charges of indulging in "unfair trade practices". 
 
In a statement issued by the Union consumer affairs ministry it had asked states to ensure hotels and restaurants displayed information that service charge was optional on their premises. The ministry also made it clear that this was being done as it had received many complaints from customers who said they were being forced to pay service charge, in lieu of tips, of anything between 5% and 20% "irrespective of the kind of service provided". 
 The ministry said the <keyword id="407235" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Hotel-Association-of-India">Hotel Association of India</keyword>, when asked for clarification, replied that a "service charge is completely discretionary" and a customer could have it waived. 
 Defending the levying of service charge, NRAI president <keyword id="366474" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Riyaaz-Amlani">Riyaaz Amlani</keyword> said that restaurants clearly follow the very same Consumer Protection Act that is being used to justify the move to penalise those who levy it without the consent of consumers. 
 
"The act stops us from indulging in any unfair method or deceptive practice. We clearly mention the service charge we levy on our menus. We are not indulging in any unfair trade practice. This is all part of a bill on which the restaurants pay VAT while the employees pay income tax. It also does away with cash tips," he told TOI. 
 Other restraint owner feels that the <keyword id="184317" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Department-of-Consumer-Affairs">Department of Consumer Affairs</keyword> should have waived the charge instead of leaving matters "ambiguous". 
 
"The diner might say the entire meal was nice but the salad was bad. What are we supposed to do in such a scenario? Most complaints we receive are about higher taxes and not service charge. The government didn't waive taxes but waived service charge that diners happily paid," he told TOI. 
 
However most food entrepreneurs believe, this move by the government wouldn't affect the QSR chains much. 
 
Here's what the food entrepreneurs felt: 
 
 Sagar Kumar, Nutritious Nation, gourmet health food: 
"We never charged a 10% charge to our customers in the first place. It's mostly casual dining cafes, fine dining restaurants and places that serve liquor that'll come under the ambit of consumers questioning why we should pay a mandatory 10% tip when the service isn't upto the mark." 
 
Ashish Tulsian, founder of POSist, a point of sale terminal company for restaurants : 
"This move may affect businesses of restaurants for a shorter period of time. Customers will get benefited as they would have a clarity on charges. For example, biryani costing Rs 200 becomes Rs 290 after taxes. Customers will understand clearly know how the calculation has been made. Though initially the restaurants will decide to hike the prices but in the long run, customers will gain." 
 
Sumit Gulati, Gulati Spice Market: 
"We already had a customer today who came in and declared that he won't pay service charge. Without even experiencing the service, he declined. We need to understand that the intent of the decision is good and for the benefit of the client. However, Delhi is known for its notorious behaviour. The whole reason why service charge came into being is because average people here have poor tipping nature."

Restaurant body fights back, says don’t eat if you don’t want to pay. QSR chains okay with the govt's move

<ul><li>OYO Home and Hotels is partnering with Drivezy, an Indian vehicle sharing start up.</li><li>Travellers will now be able to pick up bikes and cars directly from <keyword id="4964826" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="OYO-hotels">OYO hotels</keyword>.</li><li>Drivezy plans to station 100,000 bikes and cars at OYO outlets.</li></ul> OYO Home and Hotels is partnering with Drivezy to station 100,000 bikes and cars at their hotels in the next three years. The partnership will kick off with 1,200 bikes OYO outlets in Bangalore and Hyderabad. Travellers can book bikes either by the hour, or on a daily basis. Drivezy, an Indian start up, was founded back in 2015. It offers cars, motorbikes and scooters on rent across 11 cities in India across 100 locations. Currently, it manages 4,000 cars and 14,000 bikes. The company claims to be the fastest growing vehicle sharing platform, and the largest two-wheeler sharing service in the country. Drivezy has plans to grow even further. The company signed an agreed with Harbourfront Capital for $100 million to bring more assets on-board. So far this year, it added 12,000 vehicles to its fleet. Leave it where you want Drivezy is currently working on a feature that will allow travellers to pick up and leave their vehicles anywhere they want — as long as they're within the city limits. This 'free floating' model comes with a significant catch. Drivezy needs to find a way to ensure its vehicles aren't vandalised or damaged, after being dropped off. "To counter this, we are establishing a dense network of parking spaces in all operational cities and our association with OYO is a step in that direction," said Ashwarya Singh, CEO of Drivezy. Drivezy's also using technology like keyless IoT locks and unlocking using QR codes to safeguard their vehicles.

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