Radisson Mulls Expansion in NE; Plans New Hotels in Kaziranga, Shillong, Guwahati

Luxury hospitality chain Radisson Hotel Group is looking to expand its presence in the Northeast and is holding talks with potential partners to open greenfield properties in locations such as Kaziranga and Shillong, a senior official said on Thursday.

The group, which currently operates one property here, is planning a second unit in the city, the official added.

"The group is looking for strategic partners to expand in the Northeast. Talks are on with possible partners for developing the properties," Radisson Blu Guwahati General Manager Ankur Mehrotra told reporters here.

Asked about possible locations, he said the group is actively looking at Kaziranga in Assam and Shillong in Meghalaya for expansion.

"These will be greenfield projects. The land for Kaziranga and Shillong have been finalised, and a formal agreement with the developer is likely soon," Mehrotra added.

He, however, declined to share details on investments or number of rooms in the proposed hotels.

Talking about the existing hotel in Guwahati, Mehrotra said: "Currently we are operating with 196 keys. We are constructing a new wing, which will house 85 new rooms. We believe it will be ready within one year." Radisson Blu Guwahati, inaugurated in 2014, was the first five-star hotel in the Northeast. It was constructed by Dharampal Satyapal Group.

"The group currently operates 130 hotels across India. Our target is to take this figure to 250-300 over the next three years. Northeast is going to be a key focus area for us as we will target tier-II and III cities more," Mehrotra said.

Asked about the premium hotel scenario, he said luxury lodging has seen very good growth in recent times with the market witnessing 70-75% average occupancy with Radisson registering 80% occupancy on an average.

"The Assam government's focus on tourism has helped in the growth. We are also witnessing a lot of pilgrimage tourism with people coming to visit Kamakhya temple in large numbers. The earlier perception that Northeast was unsafe is not there in the minds of the travellers nowadays," Mehrotra said.