Bhubaneswar gears up for the new year

With only two days to go, the preparation for New Year celebration by various star hotels and upmarket Clubs in Bhubaneswar has reached a feverish pitch.

In a bid to grab a chunk of the Rs 4 crore business pie at stake on a single night, about fifteen premier hotels and clubs in the city have launched massive propaganda blitzkrieg to attract as much clientele, particularly from the middle class segment, for a night out to witness their special New Year extravaganza.

According to an estimate, of the Rs. 4 crore business made on the night of 31st December, liquor sale constitutes the maximum of Rs. 3 crore.

This includes consumption in individual household, about 200 small clubs, 200-odd restaurants and around 100 non-star hotels, picnic parties, offices and other establishments.

But ironically the share of business by 15 odd star hotels is quite insignificant as their combined gross sales on the day has never crossed Rs. 25 lakhs.

This only speaks volumes about the income and spending capacities of middle class clientele available in the city despite presence of good and quality hotels, say the industry analysts.

Nonetheless, the New Year Eve celebration provides an ideal platform for hotels to carve out their brand identity more than achieving any commercial objective, they added.

This year from among the top bracket hotels, Swosti Plaza, Mayfair Lagoon, Marion and Crown promise to dish out many attractive extravaganza to their clientele.

The events on display for the occasion include Mayfair Lagoon's Brazilian Night with Indo Latin Carlyto, fashion show and dance by Mohini and Nandini of Bikini fame, Marion's Egyptian Night with DJ and ramp show, Crown's 007 "� License to Thrill encompassing DJ, Dance and Fashion Show.

Similarly, Columbus's Nina Ship with Fashion and Dance show by Bhubaneswar Club promises to be scintillating. Not to be left behind, Swosti Plaza has organized Arabian Night with Russian belly dancers, ramp shows, DJ, pop, modern ballets, Indian classicals etc. and to top them all a disco blast in Plaza Club.

Hotels apart, premier clubs like Bhubaneswar Club, Citizens Club, Orissa Club etc. have emerged as hot spots for city elites to take a plunge in the New Year bash.

Traditionally Bhubaneswar Club attracts maximum government executives and business associates for the New Year Carnival. This year hotels are trying to woo over some of the Club's clientele by rationalizing ticket price.

The average ticket price of all these hotels are fixed around Rs.2000 per couple. But the gifts and prizes on offer by various hotels for the occasion is worth getting an entry to the celebrations, says JK Mohanty, chairman of Swosti group.

"In Swosti Plaza we offer wide spectrum of entertainment activities with Rs.1499 per couple and free Reliance Mobile as gift", he added.

Estimate show that the state has market volume of about Rs. 30 crore and Bhubaneswar as the capital city has a potential to notch up Rs 5 crore business in the entire celebration fortnight starting from 25th December to 10th January.

But the maximum share of this celebration business turnover goes to the unorganized sector based in rural, semi urban and urban areas with the organized hotel industry getting only 15 per cent of the business.

"This meant only the exclusive upper echelons of affluent class enjoyed the star hotel privileges", pointed out a hotelier.

About 50 lakh of people of the state from different categories celebrate New Year fete and in the state capital the number of participants is about 2 lakh.

On 31st December night alone about 50,000 people in the capital city throng various locations to celebrate the occasion. Of them, about 5000 visit different hotels, about 2000 go to clubs while the picnic spots attract about 20,000.

Another 5000 families consisting of 30,000 members herald their New Year in individual household parties.

Travel Trade industry and other allied sectors are estimated to do brisk business of about Rs 3 crore in the two weeks on either side of the New Year.

Food business amounts to about another Rs 3 crore during the peak celebration fortnight, point out the industry analysts.