Chandigarh sees boom in hospitality

While Carlson Hotels Worldwide Asia Pacific announced its plan to set up a hotel at Zirakpur, it is an indication as to how the city has caught the fancy of the hospitality sector that is willing to expand itself in and around Chandigarh.

According to Anil Advani, managing director, Quantum Tourism and Financial Vistas, the total investment being made in the hotel projects by the companies could be anywhere around Rs 100 crore. Uppal's project of developing a five-star hotel in Sector 35 in association with JW Marriott involves an estimated cost of around Rs 250 crore.

Apart from this, Carlson Hotels, in association with ECC Infrastructure, is opening the Radisson Hotel at Zirakpur. Moreover, DLF, in a joint venture with Bharat Hotels, is planning to build a world-class hotel in Chandigarh.

Vipul Ltd, in collaboration with Sarovar Hotels, is coming up with a four-star hotel in Mohali. Sarovar Hotels, in synergy with James Plaza, is coming with James Park Plaza (five-star) which will come up adjacent to the Taj. Other big players from the hospitality sector, like Oberoi and Maurya Sheraton, have also shown interest in setting up hotels in Chandigarh.

Chandigarh, which till a few years back was only considered as a gateway for Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana, is being developed as a tourist destination with the efforts of the Chandigarh Industrial and Tourism Development Corporation Ltd (CITCO) and the district administration.

With movies like Apne, Namaste London and Veer Zara being shot around the city, the administration is also trying to promote film tourism.

With the international airport coming up at Chandigarh and major sports activities like those of the Indian Cricket League (ICL) and Indian Premier League (IPL) taking place in the vicinity, the hospitality industry is euphoric and feels that the need for budget hotels and premium hotels is going to mount in the coming days.

With Chandigarh having been placed on the tentative list of World Heritage Sites by the UNESCO, becoming India's first such city, it is most likely to get an added fillip in its efforts to promote tourism and the hospitality sector.