SUPERBRANDS 2012

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itchotels.in

ITC HOTELS
Dublin, the distinctive Irish pub at select hotels while delectable cuisines of the Far East can be experienced at Pan Asian, Shanghai Club and Edo a Japanese restaurant and bar.

Hotels as the Best Premium Hotel Brand. ITC Hotels won NCEDP Shell Helen Keller Award 2008 amongst companies/organisations/institutions who share our vision and through their policies demonstrate their belief in equal rights and gainful employment for persons with disabilities.

History

The hospitality industry contributes substantially to the national exchequer and is expected to double its contribution by 2018. Like a shining star, in the midst of this galaxy, sits the ITC Hotels a group of over 90 properties spread over 70 destinations. The brand has been acknowledged across the world for its warm Indian experience and the magic of its culinary offerings. Its restaurants are regularly rated as being amongst the best in the world while the properties themselves reflect the region's dynasties that preceded them. Guests can actually breathe in the delights of the Chola, Maurya, Mughal, Kakatiya, Maratha and Rajputana kingdoms.

Driven by foresight and vision, the chain's parent company, ITC Limited, entered the hospitality business in 1975, when the company identified hotels to be a fast-growing and promising business to be in. The genesis was the acquisition of a hotel in Chennai, which was rechristened as WelcomHotel Chola and presently rebranded as My Fortune. This was followed in 1976 by the ITC Mughal, Agra and by ITC Maurya, New Delhi in 1977. Since then, the ITC Hotels brand and its 'Namaste' logo have become synonymous with Indian hospitality. In 1979, ITC Hotels entered into a marketing and franchise agreement with Sheraton Corporation Inc., now part of the Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide. After more than three decades it's now a time-tested business relationship. At present ITC Hotels is an exclusive partner with Starwood Luxury Collection in India with ten premium luxury hotels located at major metros. But what distinguishes ITC Hotels is the theme each hotel follows. The personality of the property is reflected in the dynasties that preceded it. In this way guests can breathe in the delights of the Chola, Maurya, Mughal, Kakatiya, Maratha and Rajputana kingdoms. The architecture, dcor and artefacts, too, seen in these hotels are designed around the historical details of each of these great dynasties.

Recent Developments
Recently, ITC Hotels has replaced the erstwhile ITC-Welcomgroup as a corporate brand. The new entity has adopted a philosophy of sustainable hospitality that it calls Responsible Maintaining and strengthening the brand equity is a continuous process at ITC Hotels. The brand banks extensively on unique marketing initiatives and promotional campaigns through print and online platforms. In an endeavour to delight and engage guests, various above- and below-the-line activities are devised. These ensure that the brand always stays relevant and always, top-of-mind.

Brand Values
ITC Hotels India's premier chain of luxury hotels brings the global traveller, the best of the East and the West: traditional Indian hospitality with contemporary international standards. Each of the ITC Hotels is rooted in the soil and offers authentic, indigenous experiences to its guests. The company is committed to raising the bar on excellence and take forward the entire hospitality industry. From the bricks and mortar that go into building a hotel, to the people who make up its soul, each minute element is a 'wow' designed to generate customer delight. Each staff member is made keenly aware that when interacting with guests they are brand ambassadors for the company. And everything they do reflects on the brand. When guests depart they must believe that "This hotel actually knew exactly what I needed".

Product Market
There was a time when tourism in India mostly meant the Taj Mahal and a few other monuments. It wasn't that other destinations weren't there; it's just that enough hadn't been done for them to take centre stage. Then things began to change when the government decided to upgrade tourismrelated facilities and the infrastructure that fed the business. Today, monuments are just one of several reasons why people come to India. This segment, including the ancillary industry, plays an important role in the Indian economy contributing roughly C550,000 crore (US$ 100 billion) or 8.60% of the gross domestic product (GDP) of the country (Source: HVS India 2011 Report). However, the direct contribution of the standalone travel and tourism sector to the GDP is of the order of C57,050 crore (US$ 10.40 billion) with the hospitality segment alone estimated at C83,300 crore (US$ 15.20 billion) (Source: industry intelligence). This sector is expected to double to C176,400 crore (US$ 32.10 billion) by 2018. By then, it is also projected that the number of branded hotel rooms will increase twice over, from the present 167,800. In 2009 the hotel industry took a small dip; despite this the average growth rate of 8% achieved since then augurs well for hotel commerce (Source: Economic Survey of 2010/11, Government of India). The industry is preparing about 100,000 rooms, which currently
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are in different stages of planning and development and should be ready by 2015.

Achievements
As far back as the mid-1980s, and years before the liberalisation of the economy, ITC Hotels had seen the coming boom in business travel

and the distinct need of corporate travellers. It was then that it began planning a broadside on a segment that was very nascent, if at all. The chain now stands as one of India's foremost hospitality brands. In the process, it also gained recognition as the first hotel chain in the world to have its premium luxury hotels certified LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum the highest certification awarded by the US Green Building Council (USGBC). Individually, too, each ITC Hotel has made its unique contribution towards enriching the environment. ITC Maurya, New Delhi was conferred the accolade of an eco-friendly Hotel in 2008/09 by Today Travel Plus Toplist Survey. ITC Sonar, Kolkata received the 5-Star rating in the Environmental Management System from the British Safety Council in 2007. ITC Grand Central, Mumbai won FHRAI (The Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India) Green Champion of the Year amongst Large Hotels in 2004 while ITC Grand Central, Mumbai won the same award in 2008 and was recognised as the best private-public enterprise providing services for physically challenged persons. ITC Hotels has been adjudged the People's Choice Most Trusted Brand in Public Honours category by Times Travel Honour in 2011. It has also won Today's Traveller India's Best Luxury Chain Diamond award in 2008. For three years in a row 2005/2008 Galileo Express Travel World declared ITC

ITC Hotels are classified under four distinct brands: ITC Luxury Collection, WelcomHotels, Fortune Hotels and WelcomHeritage. Each brand offers a distinct experience, steeped in tradition. As the name suggests the ITC Luxury Collection hotels are actually landmark hotels rooted in the local soil, ethos and customs. WelcomHotels offers 5-Star hospitality and personalised service to the discerning business and leisure traveller; Fortune Hotels are mid- to up-scale contemporary properties providing great value while WelcomHeritage brings together a chain of palaces, forts, havelis and resorts even as they help preserve royal homes and their opulence and grandeur for future generations. ITC Hotels offers a rejuvenating journey of mind, body and soul through the legendary spa brand, Kaya Kalp The Spa, across all its premium properties. Within the confines of these outstanding properties are a set of exceptional restaurants, recognised across the world for their magical and authentic cuisines. Bukhara brings alive the rustic flavours of the North-West Frontier; Dum Pukht recreates the culinary tradition that dates back 200 years to the kitchens of the Nawabs of Awadh; Dakshin offers the rich diversity of South Indian recipes and Kebabs and Kurries offers a symphony of flavourful foods. Both Dum Pukht and Bukhara are globally preferred brands attracting the attention of the world's food connoisseur's. International cuisine finds focus in the ambience of West View The Grill Room and

Luxury. The ethos delivers lavish opulence with the greenest practices possible. This move is designed to make the properties future-ready and help become dominant players in the global hospitality industry. The most recent addition to ITC Hotels, in the premium category, is the soon-to-open ITC Grand Chola. This iconic property in South India embodies the essence of the region's glorious Chola Empire. The ITC Grand Chola features 600 rooms including serviced apartments, an opulent lobby, artefacts that recreate the magic of a lost empire, award-winning cuisine and over 100,000 square feet of banqueting and convention space.

Things you didnt know about

ITC Hotels
ITC Hotels is the Greenest Luxury Hotel chain in the world Spread over 99,000 square feet, Kaya Kalp The Royal Spa at ITC Mughal, Agra is the largest spa in the country ITC Hotels has taken a positive step in employing people who are differently-abled ITC Green Centre the headquarters of ITC Hotels is the world's largest zero per cent water discharge, non-commercial Green building. As compared to buildings of identical size it has a 30% lower carbon footprint Bukhara has been ranked amongst the top restaurants of the world by Restaurant magazine of the UK, eight times between 2002 and 2009 The Miele Guide, Asia's first truly independent and authoritative restaurant guide has rated Bukhara, Dum Pukht and Dakshin amongst the top 20 restaurants in Asia

Promotion
Hotels are driven by word-of-mouth. With thousands preferring to stay and dine at ITC Hotels it was only in the fitness of things that a loyalty programme be developed to extend this bond and drive the next stay. Club ITC, launched in 2011 with its unique Green-at-Heart motto is an amalgamation of fine living and fine fashion and enables the earning and accumulation of Green Points at over 50 ITC Hotels and 80 Wills Lifestyle stores in the country. Launched in 1994, Culinary Plus is the country's most premium food and beverage membership, while Welcombreak launched in 1983 has been received by clients as a great leisure offer. It provides a range of experiential getaways from one to six nights including shortmini- culinary- spa- golf- and circuit- breaks.

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