Loading...
You have Successfully logged In !
Already have an account? Login
By clicking Register you agree to the Terms & Conditions and acknowledge our Privacy Policy.
Don't have an account?Register
Enter your E-mail address below, We will send the verification code
Please enter the code send to
Didn't receive the email?Click to resend
Your password has been successfully reset!.
Please login again to access your account.
An OTP has been sent to
Enter the 4-digit code
By Nishang Narayan
Published on July 23, 2024
IHG Hotels & Resorts, a global leader in hospitality, has announced the launch of its groundbreaking Low Carbon Pioneers programme. This initiative brings together a group of energy-efficient hotels that operate without combusting fossil fuels on-site and are supported by renewable energy sources. This marks the first community of its kind in the hospitality industry, aimed at testing, learning, and sharing sustainability practices to inspire broader adoption of carbon reduction measures.
Initial Low Carbon Pioneer Hotels
The initial Low Carbon Pioneer hotels include:
Holiday Inn Express Madrid Airport, Spain
Iberostar Waves Cristina, Spain
Kimpton BEM Budapest, Hungary
These hotels feature sustainable solutions such as high-efficiency heat pumps for heating and hot water generation, as well as fully electric kitchens. Each property holds an operational sustainability certification recognized by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, such as Green Key, or a sustainable building certification like LEED, BREEAM, or EDGE. Energy data for these hotels will be tracked and measured using IHG’s Green Engage environmental platform.
Expansion and Future Plans
IHG plans to expand the Low Carbon Pioneers programme across all regions, developing a "low-carbon ready" group of hotels in preparation for broader renewable energy availability. The full criteria for a Low Carbon Pioneer hotel can be found here.
CEO's Call to Action
Elie Maalouf, CEO of IHG Hotels & Resorts, expressed excitement about the launch, emphasizing its role in meeting evolving guest expectations, helping hotel owners future-proof their businesses, and reducing carbon emissions across IHG’s estate. He stressed the need for broader government support to accelerate industry-wide change, including increased access to renewable energy, incentives for owners, and reduced costs for green technology.
“This is an important next step in IHG’s sustainability journey, but it remains one of many we must continue to take. Accelerating change at scale for both IHG and the wider industry also requires broader support from governments ranging from greater access to renewable energy and incentives for owners, to a reduction in the cost of technology that speeds up the industry’s transition to a greener, more resilient future. IHG is committed to working with industry bodies and governments to help achieve this, alongside encouraging more owners to adopt carbon reduction practices and become Low Carbon Pioneers,” said Maalouf.
Future-Proofing Properties
The Low Carbon Pioneers programme aims to future-proof IHG’s properties, providing potential benefits such as better alignment with environmental regulations and access to green finance for new projects. These hotels will be marketed as low carbon or low carbon ready across IHG’s booking channels, appealing to guests seeking sustainable stays and corporate clients with net-zero or carbon-neutral targets.
Leading the Way in Sustainability
IHG is committed to reducing carbon emissions through its Journey to Tomorrow responsible business plan. The company continues to develop solutions to measure, manage, and minimize the environmental impact of its hotels, from energy conservation measures to sourcing renewable energy and installing EV chargers. The Low Carbon Pioneers programme builds on IHG’s history of creating ambitious and innovative sustainability solutions, such as replacing bathroom miniatures with bulk amenities and providing properties with renewable energy through a community solar programme in the US. IHG is now setting a new benchmark for reducing operational carbon in the hospitality industry.
Celebrate Sibling Love with Banaraswala’s Rakhi Hampers & Gi...
As the festival of Rakhi nears, Banaraswala, Ghat Se Ghar Ta...
Haldiram’s Launches ‘Do Dooni Mithaas’ Campaign with Special...
As Raksha Bandhan approaches, Haldiram’s, one of India’s mos...
Celebrate Rakshabandhan in Royal Style with The LaLiT Hospit...
This Rakshabandhan, skip the usual and embrace a festive exp...
Sibling Goals: 6 Fun-Filled Spots to Celebrate Rakhi in Delh...
This Rakshabandhan, ditch the dinner-and-done vibe. Whether ...
Published on August 9, 2025
MakeMyTrip has launched its multilingual Generative AI-powered Trip Planning Assistant, designed to transform how travellers plan and book their journeys by enabling real-time, conversational interactions.
Currently in beta, the assistant is built on an agentic AI framework and supports travel categories including flights, hotels, holidays, ground transport, visas, and foreign exchange. It allows users to engage in back-and-forth conversations through both voice and text, making the experience more natural and accessible.
Initially available in English and Hindi, the platform will expand to include more Indian languages after user feedback and further testing. The assistant is capable of handling both open-ended and specific queries, such as “Where can I go in August for a relaxing holiday with my children?” or “Mujhe Udaipur mein 3-star hotel 3500 ke budget mein chahiye”, providing results based on live availability, pricing, and preferences.
Unlike traditional travel tools that stop at suggestions, the MakeMyTrip assistant allows users to move from discovery to booking within the same conversation. The company aims to make travel planning more intuitive for non-English-speaking audiences and to improve accessibility in Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets.
Rajesh Magow, Co-founder and Group CEO of MakeMyTrip, said: “This assistant converts intent into action, particularly for users from the Bharat heartland who have been underserved by previous online travel interfaces.”
Group CTO Sanjay Mohan highlighted the platform’s technical sophistication, noting that it uses multi-agent architecture, custom language models, and verification protocols to provide accurate, real-time responses. The assistant builds on MakeMyTrip’s previous AI-led innovations, including Fare Lock, Zero Cancellation, voice-led support, and predictive rail booking tools.
Future updates will add image and video-based interactions as well as semantic search, enabling travellers to plan trips using visual and abstract inputs for more personalised recommendations.
The launch reinforces MakeMyTrip’s commitment to investing in AI infrastructure to create a highly responsive, multilingual platform capable of supporting complex travel decisions.
By Hariharan U
Published on July 31, 2025
Wonderchef has introduced something every chai lover will want in their kitchen "Chai Magic", the world’s first fully automatic tea maker built just for Indian-style tea. The launch, hosted in Kolkata, saw the presence of Chef Sanjeev Kapoor and Mr. Ravi Saxena, co-founders of the brand, as they showcased what might just be the future of chai-making.
How It Works
All it takes is loading your ingredients—tea, spices, water, and milk—into the machine, pressing a button, and letting Chai Magic handle the rest. Milk gets added at just the right moment, and the tea brews to perfection. Once it’s done, the machine switches off on its own. That’s right—no more burnt milk or tea spills.
"Chai Magic brings tradition and technology together. It makes everyday tea-making simple, stress-free, and delightful," said Chef Sanjeev Kapoor during the live demo.
He added, "You can add any masala—ginger, clove, pepper, saffron—and Chai Magic will brew it just the way you like it. It’s consistent, hands-free, and honestly, a joy to use."
Mr. Ravi Saxena, CEO of Wonderchef, called it a “magical appliance”, built for daily use in Indian homes. “It’s a product rooted in our tea culture but powered by modern convenience,” he said.
Coming Soon Near You
Chai Magic will be available across retail stores and Wonderchef’s website in the coming weeks.
New Store Launch in Kolkata
Wonderchef also marked the launch of its 31st exclusive store—and the first in East India—at City Centre Mall, Salt Lake, Kolkata. Chef Sanjeev Kapoor inaugurated the outlet, part of the brand’s plan to double its store count over the next two years.
About WonderchefFounded in 2009, Wonderchef is known for its premium cookware and kitchen appliances. With over 600 products, it has built a strong presence both in India and globally—spanning 22,000+ retail outlets, 80,000+ women entrepreneurs, and availability in 25 countries.
This new launch adds one more feather to their innovation-first approach, making everyday cooking smarter, easier, and a little more magical.
By Author
Published on July 29, 2025
In luxury hospitality, the guest experience is meticulously crafted to feel effortless. Yet, behind the polished marble floors and ambient lighting lies an invisible yet vital layer — security. When done right, it’s not just a system; it’s an ecosystem of trust that operates quietly in the background, ensuring safety without ever disrupting elegance.
Today, hotel security has evolved beyond conventional surveillance. It’s not about how many cameras you install — it’s about where, why, and how they integrate into the environment. Smart surveillance strategies combine analytics with human insight, mapping guest behavior, anticipating pressure points, and aligning seamlessly with the tempo of operations. Think of it as an unseen concierge — alert, adaptive, and always one step ahead.
Access control, too, has become a sophisticated architecture of trust. Whether it’s guest keycards, staff movement, or vendor logistics, every access point is an opportunity to blend efficiency with discretion. The best frameworks balance hierarchy with hospitality — offering layered security that respects both guest privacy and staff autonomy.
But even the most intelligent infrastructure is only as strong as the people who operate it. Hotels that foster a proactive security culture — through training, simulations, and clearly defined accountability — gain an unmatched edge in both daily operations and crisis management. In such environments, security is not just protection; it’s empowerment.
Importantly, security should never be a generic overlay. It must reflect the soul of the brand. A wellness retreat in the hills may need subtle, almost invisible systems, while a corporate hotel in the heart of a city might benefit from visible, high-tech deterrents. Every hotel has a story and its security design should narrate it with purpose.
This is where independent expertise becomes invaluable. Too often, security is bundled into IT or MEP contracts as an afterthought. In reality, it deserves its own voice — one that understands physical risk, guest psychology, operational rhythms, and architectural intent. A seasoned security consultant can decode these variables and craft bespoke, scalable systems that serve both safety and sophistication.
Col Deepak Kajla, a techno-security expert with over 22 years of military and corporate experience, offers exactly this level of insight. His unique approach blends strategic thinking with hands-on implementation, helping hospitality brands design security that is intuitive, unobtrusive, and deeply effective. From five-star properties to eco-resorts, he brings clarity, control, and creativity to every project — transforming security from a backend function into a seamless extension of guest experience.
For hotels aiming to modernize their security approach without compromising on brand or ambiance, the path forward begins with a simple idea:
"Invisible infrastructure creates visible confidence"
CONTACT deepak.kajla@securesec.in https://www.securesec.in/
Stay up-to-date with the latest Hospitality news and trends in the Hospitality industry!
Subscribe to Hospitality news e-magazine for free and never miss an issue.
By clicking subscribe for free you agree to the Terms & Conditions and acknowledge our Privacy Policy.
Advertise With Us
We have various options to advertise with us including Events, Advertorials, Banners, Mailers, etc.
A platform dedicated to showcase the skills and creativity of hospitality professionals. Share your articles, videos and other content related to the industry and get recognized for your unique perspective and expertise. By posting your content and gaining likes from your own community, we'll categorize your talents and expose them to the hospitality world. Join our community of passionate hospitality professionals and let your talent shine!.
Already have an account?Login
By clicking you agree to the Terms & Conditions and acknowledge our Privacy Policy.
Subscribe for ₹2,000 and receive our monthly magazine for one year (12 months) from the coming month and save 2 months cost.