Weddings: Increasing Hotel Revenue

The trend of wedding ceremonies and receptions being conducted in hotels has been increasing over the years. The eat, drink and be married” now has a tag attached to it, which is in hotels”. The result is that not only destination weddings but wedding, in general, are contributing to the hotel’s revenue in a great measure. The saying Marriages are made in heaven” now has an attached segment But expenses are borne onearth”. Hotels and resorts have been proving an attractive venue as compared to the other sites, like halls, for people of all categories. Ashok Malkani takes a look at the facilities and other plus points offered by hotels.

- Ashok Malkani

Marriages, it is said, are made in Heaven. But they are celebrated on earth in choice locations. The ceremonies and other rituals are often conducted in venues within premises of reputed hotels across the country. It is thus an acknowledged fact that a sizeable slice of the revenue of the hotel is derived from venues hosting wedding ceremonies and receptions.

Realising the revenue involved in weddings, not only the hotels but also the country is promoting weddings to be held in India. Thus, the nation is, today, promoting itself as the next big wedding destination. At the first "Wed in India" Expo held in Jaipur, tourism ministry official, Manisha Saxena, said that the rapid infrastructure development across India is aiding destination weddings. Incidentally, the call for "Wed In India" was first made by Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi.

Promoting weddings in the country is the latest buzz in India. In keeping with this trend Hilton (NYSE: HLT) India has relaunched a reimagined version of its flagship 'Wedding Diaries' initiative which was launched in 2021. Wedding Diaries introduces 'Wedding Ambassador', an expert serving as the crucial bridge between the family and the hotel. Manish Tolani, vice president and commercial director, South Asia, Hilton, says "The launch of Wedding Diaries is a pivotal moment for us."

Today, destination weddings have become the latest buzz in India. According to Timothy Chi, global chief executive of The Knot Worldwide, which runs the wedtech platform, WeddingWire India, 25% of world's weddings occur annually in India. The wedding industry in India is believed to be a trillion-dollar industry.

So how is India ramping up its promotion as a wedding destination and how can it prove lucrative for resorts? Suniil Bhatia, Director, Sales & Marketing, The Mirador hotel, Mumbai declares,