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By Author
Published on December 29, 2023
In a significant move to rejuvenate the tourism sector, the Himachal Pradesh government kicked off the inaugural Shimla Winter Carnival, a 12-day celebration aimed at uplifting the spirits of the hill state. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu inaugurated the event at the historic Ridge, marking a historic moment for the city.
The winter carnival holds special significance as it comes on the heels of a challenging period for Himachal Pradesh's tourism industry, severely impacted by the recent monsoon disruptions. Chief Minister Sukhu, during the inauguration, acknowledged the adverse effects of the monsoon fury but expressed optimism about the state's recovery. He highlighted the influx of 30,000 tourist vehicles in the past days as a promising sign of the tourism industry's revival.
Emphasizing the government's commitment to promoting tourism, Chief Minister Sukhu announced a substantial increase in the budget for the tourism sector, reaching Rs. 3,000 crores from the previous Rs. 50 crores. This financial boost aims to support the recovery efforts and further elevate Himachal Pradesh as a preferred tourist destination.
To facilitate a seamless experience for visitors, the state government has permitted all restaurants, dhabas, and food shops to remain open 24 hours from December 20, 2023, to January 5, 2024. This move is aligned with the government's focus on providing a warm welcome to tourists and enhancing their overall experience in the state.
The Winter Carnival promises an array of attractions, including cultural parades, folk dance performances like Mahanati, and exhibitions featuring local dishes and cultural programs. The carnival, set to conclude on January 5, 2024, is strategically timed during the Christmas and New Year celebrations, adding to the festive atmosphere in Shimla.
Apart from being a delightful experience for tourists, the carnival aims to celebrate Himachal Pradesh's rich cultural heritage. Cultural programs such as Kullavi Nati and Singtu of Sirmaur district were presented, contributing to the vibrant celebration. The event, graced by dignitaries, including Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Anirudh Singh and Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh, is expected to have a positive economic impact on the state.
The Shimla Winter Carnival signifies a turning point for Himachal Pradesh's tourism, ushering in hope, festive cheer, and a promising outlook for the future.
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By Manu Vardhan Kannan
Published on August 12, 2026
Pangeo, Bengaluru, has unveiled its all-new menu, bringing together global flavours, premium ingredients and contemporary dishes designed for different dining occasions.
The refreshed menu follows Pangeo's idea of bringing the world together through food. It combines influences from different cuisines with a mix of textures and flavours, offering guests dishes that feel familiar while also giving them something new to explore.
The menu starts with a selection of small plates, including Roasted Butternut Pumpkin & Crisp Pakwan, Smoked Oyster Mushroom Taco, Asparagus Paprika Puff, and Roasted Broccoli Ema Datshi.
For non-vegetarian diners, the new offerings include Chicken Galouti Kebab, Spicy Cafreal Chicken, Chicken Shish Taouk, Butter Chicken Kulcha, Tandoori Chicken Roulade, Parcha Fish, and Herb-Crusted Grilled Fish.
Guests can also explore handcrafted sourdough pizzas, flavourful bowls, artisanal burgers, signature grills, comforting mains and a selection of desserts. The dishes have been created with a focus on bold flavours and quality ingredients, while also encouraging guests to share and discover different tastes.
The menu refresh is part of Pangeo's wider vision of creating a dining destination where every visit brings something different. Thoughtfully crafted cocktails, warm hospitality and an inviting setting add to the experience, making it suitable for leisurely lunches, after-work gatherings, intimate dinners and weekend celebrations.
With creativity, quality and culinary exploration at its core, Pangeo's new menu brings together global flavours while maintaining the restaurant's vibrant and contemporary identity.
Grand Mercure Bangalore has appointed Geena George as Associate Director of People & Culture, strengthening its leadership team as the hotel continues to focus on its people-first approach to hospitality.
Geena brings more than 15 years of hospitality human resources experience across India and the Middle East. Her areas of experience include talent acquisition, learning and development, organisational development, employee engagement and performance management.
Over the course of her career, she has worked with hospitality brands including Radisson Hotel Group, Yas Viceroy Abu Dhabi, The Raviz Hotels & Resorts and Accor, where she has been involved in developing teams, nurturing talent and building workplace cultures.
Before joining Grand Mercure Bangalore, Geena was People & Culture Manager at Grand Mercure Ahmedabad GIFT City. In the role, she led learning and development programmes, employee engagement initiatives and retention strategies aimed at supporting workforce stability.
Her earlier experience includes roles at Novotel Chennai Chamiers Road, Radisson Blu Atria Bengaluru and Yas Viceroy Abu Dhabi, where she worked across areas such as HR transformation, leadership development, CSR and employee recognition.
Commenting on the appointment, Parag Shah, General Manager, Grand Mercure Bangalore, said, "Hospitality has always been a people-led business. While guests experience the warmth of our service, it is our associates who make those moments possible every single day. Geena brings a thoughtful approach to developing talent, strengthening engagement and creating an environment where our teams feel supported to do their best work. We are delighted to welcome her to Grand Mercure Bangalore and look forward to the value her leadership will bring to our people and the hotel."
Speaking on her new role, Geena George said, "What has always drawn me to hospitality is the opportunity to work closely with people and create workplaces where they feel valued, heard and encouraged to grow. I'm excited to join Grand Mercure Bangalore and contribute towards building an environment that invests in continuous learning, meaningful engagement and leadership development, while supporting our associates in delivering exceptional guest experiences."
Her appointment underlines Grand Mercure Bangalore's focus on talent development, internal leadership growth and creating a workplace where its teams can perform and grow while continuing to deliver the hospitality experience associated with the brand.
India’s branded residences market is entering a new phase, with the sector’s estimated ₹1 lakh crore (about USD 10.5 billion) gross development value set to take centre stage at TBRS 2.0, The Branded Residences Summit, in Mumbai.
The second edition of the summit will take place on 7 and 8 October 2026 at JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar, bringing together 250 curated delegates, 50+ Indian and global speakers and 19 sessions. The event will also feature the inaugural Branded Residences Awards and the launch of the third edition of the NOESIS branded residences market report.
According to NOESIS, India's branded residences market map currently includes 43 directly brand-licensed projects. Of these, 7 have been delivered, 19 are under construction and 17 have been announced. Further announcements are expected during 2026, while more than 20 additional projects are currently in early feasibility, product planning or brand selection. The category has also moved beyond traditional markets such as Mumbai and NCR. Tier-1 and tier-2 cities and leisure destinations including Goa, Alibaug, Karjat, Igatpuri, Kasauli, Coorg and Rishikesh are now part of the growing branded residences landscape.
“Developers across India are seeing what the right brand does for visibility, buyer confidence and sales momentum,” said Nandivardhan Jain, Founder & CEO, NOESIS Hotel Advisors, the owner-focused advisory firm behind the summit. “The opportunity is not in adding a name to a project. It is in choosing a brand that fits the location and the buyer and keeping the financial model, the product promise and the resident experience aligned.”
The growing interest is also being seen among institutional investors and organised funds. Well-planned branded developments can offer stronger price realisation, faster sales and more predictable cash flows when the product, pricing and positioning are properly aligned. At the same time, investors continue to assess fundamentals such as buyer depth, achievable pricing and delivery capability.
Another important area is the long-term relationship between developers, brands and residents. The licence relationship generally covers development, marketing and sales, while the operating relationship can later move to the residents’ association and continue for several years. This makes decisions around fees, service standards, renewal and exit terms important from the beginning rather than after handover. A well-structured arrangement can help the brand continue adding value to the resident experience and resale positioning even after the final unit is sold.
TBRS was established in 2025 as India’s first dedicated platform for branded residences. Its first edition was held at the Jio World Convention Centre, Mumbai on 26 September 2025, bringing developers, global hospitality and lifestyle brands, investors, family offices and advisors together. TBRS 2.0 will expand into a two-day programme with a developer-first approach covering feasibility, underwriting, brand selection, legal structure, sales and operations in the order a project typically develops. The programme will also include a closed-door developers’ masterclass, an expanded global speaker faculty and the inaugural Branded Residences Awards.
Among the international speakers travelling to Mumbai from Singapore, the UAE and the United Kingdom are Daniel von Barloewen (Senior Vice President, Accor One Living & Head of Global Mixed-Use Development, Accor), Gabriel Gn (Global Development Head, Banyan Group), Ramzy Fenianos (Chief Development Officer, Asia Pacific, Radisson Hotel Group), James Snelgar and Jagdish Johal (YOO, London) and Fabio Calorio (Senior Vice President – Brand, Pininfarina).
They will be joined by Indian hospitality and real estate leaders including Anil Chadha (Managing Director, ITC Hotels Limited), Atul Chordia (Chairman, Panchshil Realty), Suma Venkatesh (EVP – Real Estate & Development, IHCL), Zubin Saxena (Senior Vice President, Regional Head South Asia, Hilton), Nikhil Sharma (Managing Director & COO, South Asia, Radisson Hotel Group), Jaideep Dang (Head of Development, IHG Hotels & Resorts), Kalpesh Mehta (Founder & Managing Director, Tribeca Developers), Navdeep Sardana (Chairman, Whiteland Corporation) and Yukti Nagpal (Director, Gulshan Group), along with further leaders from Oberoi, IHCL–Taj, Marriott International, Hyatt, Olive Hospitality, Sarovar and Mahindra Holidays.
“I said at last year’s summit that India was a key market to watch. Twelve months on, it is one of the key markets to be in. The depth of developer interest, buyer demand, the quality of projects coming forward and the seriousness of the conversations at TBRS convinced me to return. India is a focus area for us as we look at the next decade of branded living,” said Daniel von Barloewen, who is returning to the summit for the second consecutive year.
The summit comes at a time when branded residences are bringing together real estate, hospitality and capital, with each stakeholder having different priorities. Developers are focused on returns and sales velocity, brands on product quality and protecting their names, buyers on delivery and long-term value, while investors look for predictable cash flows.
TBRS 2.0 will focus on these areas through discussions around feasibility, underwriting, legal structures and operating plans that can continue to work after handover.
“It took India close to a decade to deliver its first seven branded residences. Thirty-six more are already under construction or announced,” said Jain. “The sector can learn fast, from global experience and from the projects taking shape here. The time to settle product, brand, capital and contracts is at the planning table, while every decision can still be changed.”
NOESIS is also encouraging developers to attend with cross-functional leadership teams rather than sending a single representative. Since a branded residences project can affect apartment planning, construction costs, common areas, service charges and contractual commitments, promoters, finance, sales, design, projects and legal teams all play a role.
With the sector expanding across established cities as well as emerging and leisure destinations, TBRS 2.0 aims to bring these different stakeholders together around the decisions that can shape the next phase of branded residences in India.
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