Ms. Valluru Kranthi, IAS, Managing Director of the Telangana State Tourism Development Corporation (TGTDC), visited the 12th International Young Chef Olympiad (YCO) 2026 at the International Institute of Hotel Management (IIHM), Gachibowli, highlighting Telangana’s growing focus on culinary tourism.

During her visit, she toured the IIHM campus, interacted with participating student chefs, and reviewed dishes prepared by contestants from countries including France, Scotland, Switzerland, South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, and Belarus. She was accompanied by Mr. J. Earnest Immanuel, Director, IIHM Hyderabad.

Addressing the media, Ms. Kranthi said culinary tourism plays a vital role in the tourism ecosystem and noted Telangana’s strong potential driven by its diverse food heritage. She highlighted the launch of India’s first Culinary Experiential Tourism Accelerator, aimed at empowering rural and women entrepreneurs while reviving forgotten regional cuisines.

She also pointed to Hyderabad’s status as a UNESCO City of Gastronomy, adding that Telangana Tourism plans to leverage this through food festivals and by encouraging home chefs across the state. On homestays, she said the government is moving towards online registrations to boost participation in key tourist destinations.

The regional round of YCO 2026 is currently underway in Hyderabad, with finals scheduled in Kolkata on February 6, where the winner will receive a ₹15 lakh cash prize.

Shangri-La Eros New Delhi has unveiled a thoughtfully curated wellness retreat at The Wellness Club, offering guests a serene escape designed to encourage mindful renewal, balance, and self-connection. Set against Delhi’s vibrant skyline, the immersive retreat blends refined luxury with progressive wellness philosophies, creating a calm urban sanctuary for holistic well-being.

The three-night retreat for two adults delivers a highly personalised wellness journey, beginning with bespoke consultations and extending through mindful dining, restorative spa therapies, expert-led fitness sessions, and time-honoured Ayurvedic healing rituals. Each experience is designed to support clarity, vitality, and long-term wellness while allowing guests to disconnect from everyday demands.

The retreat unfolds across three carefully structured days, balancing performance, recovery, and reflection. Mornings are energising, while evenings are deeply restorative, integrating guided movement, therapeutic treatments, ceremonial wind-down rituals, and nourishing wellness cuisine. Advanced biohacking and longevity-focused practices are seamlessly woven into the experience, ensuring a modern and results-driven approach to well-being.

Day one focuses on relaxation and grounding, beginning with a personalised welcome and wellness amenities, followed by individual consultations and holistic healing sessions. Guests can choose between aura-cleansing rituals such as chakra balancing or tarot card reading before enjoying a 60-minute couples’ spa therapy, with options including Aromatherapy, Deep Tissue, Jetlag Recovery, or Asian Blend treatments. The day concludes with mindful plant-based dining designed to nourish and restore.

Day two centres on fitness and recovery, offering measurable outcomes through comprehensive body analysis, personalised training sessions, and advanced recovery therapies. Guests may select from strength training, metabolic conditioning, posture correction, core strengthening, Pilates, or HYROX. Recovery therapies include Normatec Compression, Red Light Therapy, Body Roller, or Percussive treatments, followed by traditional Ayurvedic therapies such as Abhyanga, Shirodhara, Ubtan, or Valooka. A guided physiotherapy session and Moonlight Yoga complete the day.

Day three begins with energising sunrise yoga, followed by targeted recovery therapy and a focused 30-minute massage, including hand, neck and shoulder, or foot reflexology. The retreat concludes with a sunset wellness talk and guided mobility session, paired with mindful nourishment to support deep relaxation and restorative rest.

With this immersive offering, Shangri-La Eros New Delhi reinforces its commitment to contemporary wellness, providing guests with a meaningful opportunity to reset, restore, and reconnect within the heart of the capital.

For reservations and further details, email reservations.slnd@shangri-la.com.

ALIVAA Hotels & Resorts has officially finalised a strategic alliance with Aliste Hotels & Resorts and Vivid Stays, integrating two prominent Gurugram properties into its rapidly expanding hospitality portfolio. The partnership marks a significant step in strengthening ALIVAA’s footprint in Gurugram, one of India’s most dynamic corporate and commercial markets.

As part of the alliance, Aliste Millennium, located near Huda City Centre, and Vivid Boutique Hotel in Sector 38, Gurugram, will operate under ALIVAA’s The Hoften brand. With this addition, The Hoften now spans seven strategic locations across Gurugram, reinforcing ALIVAA’s cluster-led growth strategy designed to maximise distribution strength, sales efficiency, and operational performance.

Gurugram continues to be a major economic engine within the National Capital Region, serving as a base for Fortune 500 companies, global technology firms, and a fast-growing startup ecosystem. The city’s strong demand for specialised corporate accommodation makes it a key market for ALIVAA’s expansion. Through this alliance, the company aims to consolidate its sales capabilities and capture a larger share of high-yield corporate travel demand.

The Hoften brand is positioned to cater to modern business travellers seeking efficiency, contemporary design, and strong urban connectivity. With a focus on functionality and comfort, the brand has been developed to appeal to large corporate accounts while maintaining consistent service standards. Following the latest integration, ALIVAA will now oversee sales strategy for one flagship ALIVAA property and six The Hoften hotels across Gurugram.

Commenting on the development, Akash Bhatia, CEO of ALIVAA Hotels & Resorts, said, “This alliance is a calculated step toward market leadership in the NCR. By integrating Aliste Millennium and Vivid Boutique Hotel into our The Hoften cluster, we are not just adding keys; we are consolidating our sales force to offer corporate clients unparalleled variety and proximity. Our goal is to set a new benchmark for RevPAR in the Millennium City through aggressive distribution and operational excellence.”

Vikramjit Singh, Founder and CMD of ALIVAA Hotels, added, “ALIVAA was founded on the vision of creating value for asset owners through professional management and strategic scale. Partnering with Aliste Hotels allows us to demonstrate the strength of our franchise and management model. We are excited to welcome these properties into our ecosystem and are committed to driving market dominance in Gurugram’s high-yield corporate segments.”

Dr. Harmeet Singh Arora, Founder and Director of Aliste Hotels & Resorts, said, “Aligning with ALIVAA Hotels & Resorts represents a significant milestone for us. By joining forces with ALIVAA’s commercial engine, we are confident that our Gurugram properties will reach a wider audience of discerning business travellers while maintaining the personalised service our guests expect.”

Ms. Neha Singh, Co-Founder and Director at Aliste Hotels & Resorts, noted, “This partnership allows us to combine our focus on guest satisfaction with ALIVAA’s strong sales and marketing capabilities. We look forward to a successful collaboration that enhances the overall guest experience at both Aliste Millennium and Vivid Boutique Hotel.”