ITDC launches Ashok Alliance scheme
29 Aug 2009
Indian Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) launched the Ashok Alliance Scheme this week to enable member hotels to use the Ashok brand and benefit from the operational management expertise, marketing inputs and other resources of the ITDC Group.
ITDC plans to make private hotel companies and real estate players its franchisee partners.
The government-owned ITDC stands to gain three per cent of the gross room revenues earned by these hotels.
ITDC announced that it has signed a MoU with two privately-owned hotels in Chandigarh and Surat, under the 'Ashok Alliance' scheme. The four-star Hotel Welcome City Beautiful in Chandigarh and the three-star Riverfront Hotel in Surat will however retain their individual ownership and identity.
Initially, ITDC had 34 hotels, out of which 18 hotels were sold to private operators under the government's disinvestment programme. The PSU is now left with 16 hotels, which it plans to expand through the scheme.
Member hotels will be able to use facilities, such as the training centre for personnel, its marketing schemes and the common reservation centre, for a period up to three years.
ITDC plans to add 5-6 more hotels at various locations through this alliance - three in West Bengal and one each in Manesar, Coorg and Malaut, Punjab. In the long run, it wants to increase the hotel count to 33 hotels.
ITDC has invested Rs 146 crore in refurbishing Ashok Hotel, Samrat Hotel and Janpath Hotel for the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi. The Organising Committee Commonwealth Games (OCCG) 2010 has declared these three hotels as 'Games Family Hotels' which have a total room inventory of 680 rooms. It is revamping its hotels at other destinations too.
