Modernising Mumbai

India's commercial and business centre Mumbai has undergone a major transformation over the past few years, much like the country itself. A new energy and self-confidence has emerged among India's business elite and this is reflected in the growing interest in holding business events in the city, formerly known as Bombay. With The Economist predicting that India's GDP growth will remain steady at, or above, seven per cent at least until 2008, the country is enjoying a sustained economic boom and greater political stability. Already the city is estimated to be generating around five per cent of the country's total GDP. Most of the city's CEI authorities frankly admit that there are still limitations imposed by poor infrastructure, but they just as eagerly point out that this is gradually improving and no longer presents quite the same obstacle that it would have done a few years ago. Certainly the task for city planners is enormous. By 2010, Mumbai is predicted to house around 27 million inhabitants, becoming the world's second most-populous city after Tokyo. Indian culture The city is not simply a business hub: it offers history and heritage as well as the embodiment of modern Indian culture, Bollywood, the cinema capital of the subcontinent. The largest convention facilities in the city are at the 286-room Renaissance Mumbai Hotel and Convention Centre. The hotel is conveniently located near the airport so traffic problems are minimised by the short and easy transfers. Parinita Dham Gawri, the hotel's director of marketing communications, says the property's location is a major selling point for other reasons too. "Since we are outside the major urban areas we have very spacious grounds," she says. "Depending on the weather, we can arrange for groups to have some or all of their event held outdoors. There are also the views across Powai Lake, which even has its own crocodile. "We can offer a very different experience for meetings and conferences as a result. For those who want to escape the hustle and bustle of the inner city, the Renaissance is an ideal venue. It is open, fresh and natural, and yet we still have all the modern facilities that meeting organisers will need." There are 15 meeting spaces totalling 1,700 sqm of indoor space and a little less than 20,000 sqm of outdoor space that can be utilised. Gawri says Bollywood directors regularly approach the hotel to arrange film shoots, taking advantage of the property's large garden areas to choreograph their blockbuster mass-dance spectacles. Its sister property, the JW Marriott Mumbai is also based outside the main urban centre along Juhu Beach, a favourite scenic spot for those escaping the pressures of city life. Resort feel Khushnooma Kapadia, manager of marketing and communications at the JWMarriott Mumbai, describes the hotel as having a "resort feel without being a resort" and a "beach hotel, but one that is sharply business-oriented". The business processing and outsourcing (BPO) sector is a major component of the new Indian economy and is a major source of business for the JW Marriott Mumbai. "We also see a lot of banking and conference business here," she says. "Mumbai is the financial heart of India with many national finance and insurance headquarters based here. There are also many business-consulting firms and, of course, the pharmaceutical sector is also very active in Mumbai. "The city is very money-driven. You also have to remember that the city's population is bigger than the whole of Australia's." She says the hotel's food and beverage offerings are one of its major advantages, as are its recreation facilities, which attract local stars. Food varieties include Indian, Italian and Thai dining outlets as well as a bakery and delicatessen. There are four outside pools and a state-of-the-art gym. "We have become the hotel for the 'Bollywood' set. They visit our Enigma niteclub, hang out in our bars and restaurants and use the fitness centre. You can be virtually guaranteed of sighting a famous actor or actress somewhere in the property." The hotel's prestige is an additional asset she says, especially among younger aspirational business people. There are four sizable meeting spaces, totalling 1,300 sqm. Guestrooms come equipped with multiple data ports and highspeed internet access. The hotel has also made a major investment in its Quan Spa, which comprises eight treatment rooms offering Thai and Western-style treatments. Kapadia says: "The spa isn't just about leisure, it's also about rejuvenation. Conference delegates can spend the whole day in intense discussions then visit the spa and return to their rooms refreshed for the next day's business. Increasingly, corporate guests expect hotel properties to provide this option for health and relaxation not as an added extra but as a basic necessity." Kapadia says there has been a change in the Indian mindset as a result of greater opening to international business. "With the limits being eased on foreign investment, there are more international brands appearing in the country," she says. "This is fuelling a huge demand for Western brands. Indians today have an open international mindset, many have worked or studied abroad, have relatives overseas and travel more often. "Those organising international business events also have the advantage of an Englishspeaking environment," Kapadia says. Incentive options One of the newest deluxe hotels in the city is the Grand Hyatt Mumbai, which opened in early 2004. Director of marketing Anirban Sengupta says that one of the city's disadvantages is the lack of destination management companies to handle incentives and pre- and post-conference tours. "Mumbai lacks a vibrant incentives sector," she says. "Most of these events are handled by the hotels themselves. But this dearth of incentives doesn't mean there is nothing to do — the city has great potential. "For example, here at the Grand Hyatt we organise trips to Bollywood studios where groups can walk on to the sets and even witness real film shoots." Sengupta also mentions the strength of the food and beverage sector. "Indian food is now famous and well known across the globe," she says. "There is a tremendous amount of regional variety and, because of the ethnic character of India, it is easy to cater to vegetarians or those with special religious dietary needs." The Grand Hyatt Mumbai has 547 guestrooms and 2,790 sqm of conference and meeting space. The facilities include one of the largest ballrooms in the city, seven meeting rooms and boardrooms, a pre-function area and several outdoor venues such as the ballroom gardens, lawns and courtyard. Sengupta says: "We have a dedicated convention services unit that can assist in tailoring each event to your own special requirements." The Grand Ballroom can also be used for automotive product launches as it has a special driveway going directly into the hall. "We are also keen to get a larger slice of the associations market. India has great potential here, particularly in areas such as medicine and IT. We have to showcase a different India from the one people are familiar with." Sengupta also says that choosing venues and accommodation for events depends on the size of groups. "The facilities for corporate groups are better in the north of the city than they are in the south with a cluster of quality hotels there," he says, adding that there is an increasing trend to expand the number of room nights. As an example, he takes a recent business summit held at the hotel, which was over two nights, yet 40 per cent of delegates extended their stay to at least five nights. In his opinion, this only underlines the need to improve the level of Mumbai's expertise in handling pre- and post-conference programmes. Local icon One of India's great hotel icons is the 565- room Taj Mahal Palace and Tower, which overlooks the famous Gateway of India, perhaps the city's premier landmark. The Indian- owned Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces has two other deluxe properties in the city — the 600-room Taj Land's End and the 500-room Taj President. The Taj group is part of the Tata Indian business conglomerate, which was founded by Parsee entrepreneur Jamsetji Tata in the middle of the 19th century and is one of India's great business success stories. Christopher Viegas, director of sales, conferences and incentives, says: "The Taj Mahal Palace and Towers is more than 100 years old. It opened its doors in 1903 and ever since has been the style and trendsetter in Mumbai. We have been the preferred choice of royalty and VIPs visiting the city for over a century." Viegas is especially proud of the hotel's décor and fittings, from original floor tiles and special banisters, to the many works of art and handicrafts that decorate the lobbies, bars, restaurants, suites and guestrooms. The meeting spaces are also suitably grand. Seating capacities range from 30 to 550 theatre style and 30 to 750 for cocktails and receptions. The 510 sqm ballroom can hold 250 for a banquet. There are a further seven smaller meeting spaces, including a 12-seat executive conference room. The hotel's location and heritage are obvious selling points to the conference and incentives market, and Viegas is keen to promote the property to those who seek a touch of history and character along with the conveniences of modern facilities. The Taj Land's End has a ballroom capable of holding 600 theatre style as well as a suite of other meeting rooms with capacities, depending on configuration, ranging from 35 to 200 theatre style. The hotel overlooks the Arabian Sea and is 12km from Mumbai Airport, but it offers something of a retreat from the city centre. As India's economy advances and opens to outside influence the demand for suitable conference and meetings venues is likely to grow dramatically. The challenge for the city is to keep pace with that demand and to raise and improve existing facilities and infrastructure. All the indicators are that Mumbai's CEI industry is in for some exciting times ahead.