'India Has Some Of The Best Hotels In The World...'

With the trials and tribulations of the Covid era now over, the hotel industry is booming once again. We spoke to Dietmar Kielnhofer, Area Vice-President, Hyatt West India and General Manager, Grand Hyatt Mumbai, about his experience and how things are changing for the hotel industry

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MW: Your four-decade-long experience in the hospitality industry has taken you to some of the world's best-known cities like Tokyo, London, Istanbul, etc. How has the Mumbai experience been?

Dietmar Kielnhofer: Mumbai, as well as the rest of India, has some of the finest hotels in the world. When it comes to service standards, India is probably ranked in the top three nations worldwide. As the commercial capital of the country, Mumbai occupancies are the highest in the country, standing at around 77 to 78 per cent coupled with the highest average rate growths over the past 12 months. We just need to be more confident in our abilities to drive higher rates. The buoyancy that the hotel sector currently experiences will last for a couple of more years so the best time to capitalise on a ‘bull market’ and drive higher rates is now. From a product and service standpoint, most hotels in India are far superior to what the US and Europe have to offer.

MW: You have been with Hyatt International in Mumbai for the last eight years. What are the changes that have come about during your time here?