Will Kempinski return to India?
Hospitality Talk|January - February 2020
Martin R. Smura, Chief Executive Officer, Kempinski Hotels and Chairman of the Management Board, talks exclusively with Hospitality Talk about the brand’s exit from India and a comeback anytime soon.
Anupriya Bishnoi
Will Kempinski return to India?

Can you explain in detail about the expansion plans of Kempinski, globally?

At Kempinski, we are focusing on ambitious international expansion plans as part of our long-term strategy. Our goal is to operate more than 100 luxury hotels by 2021. In the next 12 months alone, nine new hotels with a total of 1,961 rooms and suites will open three of them in the Caribbean and one hotel in Tel Aviv, Tbilisi, Bangkok, Guangzhou, Brazzaville, and Almaty respectively. And further seven hotels with 2,404 rooms are currently under construction.

Part of the development growth plan is the opening of the very first Kempinski hotel in New-York in partnership with the German 12.18 Investment Group. Originally built in 1927, the property is strategically located in Manhattan’s central and fashionable Midtown East, close to the Rockefeller Center and the Museum of Modern Art, and will go through a total refurbishment before re-opening as the 7 Pines Kempinski Manhattan by the end of 2020.

So far, the Kempinski strategy was based on management contracts. We sell management know-how to hotel owners for a fee. In the future, our expansion won’t be only based on management contracts but also on the acquisition of properties in order to leverage our core business of hotel management services to create additional value through real estate. We will only focus on hotel development projects that can deliver the brand promise in terms of product and performance.

Which are the latest innovations in terms of facilities and services at Kempinski hotels worldwide?

This story is from the January - February 2020 edition of Hospitality Talk.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the January - February 2020 edition of Hospitality Talk.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM HOSPITALITY TALKView All
Technology vital post COVID
Hospitality Talk

Technology vital post COVID

The recent DDP Digital Conclave titled ‘The Post Pandemic Reset’ focused on hospitality and how technology would play a major role in a reset for the post-COVID world.

time-read
6 mins  |
September - October 2021
Local experiences
Hospitality Talk

Local experiences

There will be more challenges along the way. However, COVID-19 has shaped the industry for a better, sustainable and enriching future, says Patrick Taffin, Assistant Dean, SHMS Leysin.

time-read
2 mins  |
September - October 2021
IHE GOES PHYSICAL
Hospitality Talk

IHE GOES PHYSICAL

India’s one of the largest B2B hospitality expos, the four-day IHE 2021, opens on September 24 at IEML, Greater Noida and will be a 100 per cent ‘physical show’.

time-read
2 mins  |
September - October 2021
FHRAI-IHM GETS NCHMCT AFFILIATION
Hospitality Talk

FHRAI-IHM GETS NCHMCT AFFILIATION

NCHMCT affiliation FHRAI-IHM has become the first private institute managed by FHRAI to be affiliated with the National Council of Hotel Management & Catering Technology (NCHMCT), Noida.

time-read
2 mins  |
September - October 2021
On the road to recovery
Hospitality Talk

On the road to recovery

The food delivery market is dominated by Swiggy and Zomato, sharing 85 percent of the total market between them, says the India Food Service Delivery Report 2021.

time-read
4 mins  |
September - October 2021
Focus on feedback
Hospitality Talk

Focus on feedback

Domestic tourism has emerged as a sustainable segment to watch out for especially in post-pandemic business recovery scenarios, says Pankaj Gupta, General Manager, Holiday Inn Jaipur City Centre.

time-read
3 mins  |
September - October 2021
HOMESTAY IN THE HIMALAYAS
Hospitality Talk

HOMESTAY IN THE HIMALAYAS

Invoking the grandeur and nobility of the Raj era, Jungle House – a boutique homestay in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh – opens its doors for guests.

time-read
1 min  |
September - October 2021
Cautiously optimistic
Hospitality Talk

Cautiously optimistic

Pinning Raffles Udaipur on Accor’s global map, Kerrie Hannaford, VP – Commercial, Accor India & South Asia talks about raising the bar with immersive hospitality and emotional luxury.

time-read
4 mins  |
September - October 2021
ACQUISITION MODE
Hospitality Talk

ACQUISITION MODE

Click Hotels by Suba has acquired 35 hotels across 22 new destinations in India. By 2023, the hospitality conglomerate targets to cross 3,000+ rooms.

time-read
2 mins  |
September - October 2021
A complete solution
Hospitality Talk

A complete solution

Built on the airspace of a conventional railway station, The Leela Gandhinagar reflects the vision of modern India, says Jaideep Anand, Vice President and General Manager, The Leela Gandhinagar.

time-read
2 mins  |
September - October 2021