New Delhi: Global hospitality major Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group on Wednesday launched its upscale 'Radisson Red' brand in India as part of its ambitious expansion plans here.
The Group has 74 hotels in operation and 43 more in the pipeline across different cities in India.
"Bringing the Radisson Red brand to India is in line with our continued long term commitment to India to bring new brands to the market," Group's Asia Pacific President Thorsten Kirschke told PTI.
Radisson Red is the company's upscale brand which enables guests to 'elect' the type of experience that best reflects their lifestyle.
Kirschke said India continues to be a very important market for the Group, which has been here since a long time.
"We continue to take a very long term perspective of harvesting our foundation and strong foot print and capitalising on the opportunities that India is offering in the next coming decades," he said.
"We do foresee that by 2020 we will be in a position to have 170 hotels in India. We see India as our fortress in Asia Pacific. We have our strongest presence in Asia Pacific in India," he added.
The importance of India can be understood from the fact that the company is launching new brands, taking to market new contract formulas that are much more adaptive to the individual needs of each of its partners, Kirschke said.
"The company is looking at both organic and inorganic growth across the business models and deploying all of our brands," he added.
On being asked the business model the hospitality chain will follow in India, Kirschke said: "The only thing we will not do is asset ownership, because we need to invest money in building the strength of our brands."
The company will follow the management contract, selective franchise and other hybrid models like transition from management to franchising in India, he added.
Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group's current portfolio includes more than 1,350 hotels in operation and under development with a footprint spanning over 105 countries and territories.
It owns global brands such as Quorvus Collection, Radisson Blu, Radisson, Radisson Red, Park Plaza, Park Inn by Radisson and Country Inns & Suites By Carlson.
