Leela Hotel Group, Qatar JV to expand its business in India

India's Leela Hotel Group in collaboration with a prominent Doha-based group of resorts is planning to expand its business in India, Qatar and the UAE.

A joint venture between Doha-based Aiana Hotels & Resorts and Leela Group is also planning to bring the Indian service ethos to the Gulf region and beyond. Besides Qatar and the UAE, the company is also looking at India and Thailand among other key places for expansion.

"In India we are looking at greenfield sites at Bangalore, Coorg, Sankleshpur (Karnataka) and Thekkady in Kerala. The reason why I am very keen on south India at the moment is that there are not many branded products available there," Amrudha said, the Joint Venture's joint managing director and chief executive officer.

The company might look at different types of products from hotels to resorts and serviced apartments, Amruda said.

The joint venture, with both partners having an equal share, will be based in Doha and operate under the name Aiana Hotels & Resorts.

"We are looking at fitting into that niche market because we can offer a slightly more consistent product offering across multiple locations," she said. "Our first property in Qatar will be a serviced apartment in West Bay, which is expected to be operational in a year," she told Gulf Times.

"Surely Aiana will have more properties in Doha, but we have not announced the details of the project as yet. We are in the design process and will see what will work in this market. It is important for me to have a presence in Doha, because the model we finally introduce in this market will be replicated in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. So this (Doha) will be our flagship project," Amrudha said.

"The Leela Hotel Group, founded by Captain Krishnan Nair, is very well known for its Indian service ethos. Green element is the key feature of the Leela concept, which my late grandfather (Captain Nair) was passionate about. I connect with that. Through Aiana, I want to bring to the table the great Indian service ethos," Amrudha was quoted as saying.