Annual events return to city, hotels benefit

HYDERABAD: Things seem to be looking up at last for the hotels and hospitality industry with the return of annual events to the city. This otherwise vibrant sector, which had witnessed a lull in the last four years, has registered a 20 per cent increase in the number of events and conferences in the last two months.

The industry is now hopeful of a substantial increase in business with both the Telangana state and Andhra Pradesh governments, whose common capital is Hyderabad, stressing on development in various sectors.

The thrust of these governments being on industry, information technology, agriculture, tourism and hospitality, has come as a boon for the hospitality sector.

The 20 per cent increase is a good harbinger even as the average occupancy ratio is still between 55 and 60 per cent across the city. A final word on the choice of capital by the AP government is expected to trigger a further rise in business for the hospitality sector.

“There is an increase of 20 to 25 per cent in the number of conferences and events in the city. Although it’s not that every hotel is experiencing a surge in conferences, but hotels which are in the so-called catchment area of Hitec City, Gachibowli and Madhapur in Cyberabad have seen a lot of events taking place in the last two months. There are some hotels which are doing better by 15 to 20 per cent compared to the percentage in the previous months,” said Hotels and Restaurants Association of AP secretary-general Pradeep Kumar Dutt.