Four more Country Inns and Suites in N India soon

After opening its venture in Jalandhar, Country Inns and Suites of
Carlson Hotels Asia-Pacific is planning to open four more hotels in the region in 2006-07.

Sanjeev Pahwa, vice president of  Country Inns and Suites, said the company has decided to open one hotel each in Chandigarh, Patiala, Amritsar and Baddi. While the deal for the Patiala hotel has been finalised, the company is looking for promoters for its properties in Chandigarh and Amritsar.

"We have almost finalised the deal with our promoters for the
Patiala project. The deal is in the works for the ones in Baddi and Amritsar. In Chandigarh, we have identified a location near the Quark unit in Mohali where one of our promoters from Bangalore has purchased the land," Pahwa said.

With this expansion, the company is expecting to double its turnover by the end of the next financial year. Te company closed with a turnover of Rs 24 crore in 2004-05. During the current financial year, it is expected to turn in Rs 30 crore with the target of increasing it by Rs 20 crore in the next financial year.

Country Inns and Suites has 14 hotels in the country including five in
the northern region. The number of operational hotels was six and eight
hotels would open soon, Pahwa said.

The company had started operations in 2001 with the first Country Inns and Suites in Katra in Jammu & Kashmir.

"We are open to better offers if they come from Panchkula and other
satellite towns of Chandigarh. In Amritsar, we are looking for a location
near the airport. We hope that with the opening of the eight new hotels during the next financial year, we can double our turnover by the end of 2006-07," he added.