International Hospitality Day 2023 A Resounding Success

BANGALORE:
The International Hospitality Council in collaboration with the International Institute of Hotel Management (IIHM) under the mentorship of Dr Suborno Bose, successfully organised the International Hospitality Day (IHD) on 24 April 2023. The virtual event brought together speakers and hospitality industry experts from around the world for an international convention on hospitality.

The event began with opening remarks from Dr Bose, who highlighted the importance of sustainability in the hospitality industry. Professor David Foskett delivered a thought-provoking keynote address on the hospitality industry, and how the industry is transforming and becoming future-ready.The Special Speaker, MegnaShankaranarayanan, Industry Head, Travel & Food Tech, APAC, Google, shared her insights on Google trends for the hospitality industry. Celebrity chefs Sanjeev Kapoor and Ranveer Brar also shared their experiences and ideas on how to make the hospitality industry more sustainable.

Dr Bose then unveiled his much-anticipated new book, The Art of Sustainable Hospitality, which offers a comprehensive guide to sustainable hospitality practices. He also felicitated NayanjyotiSaikia, the winner of MasterChef India 2023, who interacted with Naureen Shaikh, the YCO 2023 bronze medallist, about their experiences in the hospitality industry. Their interaction was moderated by Sanjay Kak, Culinary Director of IIHM and Indismart. The event also featured interesting speaker sessions on various topics related to hospitality, as well as engaging panel discussions.

Chef John Wood FIIHM, Founder and MD of KitchenCut, discussed the impact of technology in the contemporary culinary ecosystem with Ron Scott. Kush Kapoor, CEO of Roseate Hotels, had a conversation with Chef Gary MacLean, National Chef of Scotland, on ‘Partnership for Community—Responsibility of Hospitality Enterprises towards Society’. Anita Mendiratta, Special Advisor to Hon. Secretary General, UNWTO, addressed the convention through a recorded video message.

Diwan Gautam Anand, Founding Trustee, Cuisine India Foundation, talked about sustainability in luxury hospitality in the new world order with Ron Scott and Vijay Wanchoo. The veteran hotelier was also declared President of the IIHM International College of Distinguished Fellows. This prestigious honour recognises Anand’s contributions to the hospitality industry and his commitment to excellence.

Michael Grove, CEO of HotStats, discussed contemporary revenue management in the hospitality industry with Paul Walsh MBE, Managing Trustee of Jungle Crows Foundation. Dr Bose talked about partnerships with government associations globally. A panel discussion with industry leaders titled ‘Education Partnership—Impact of Global Partnerships in Education on Promotion of Hospitality’ was moderated by Rupa Datta. Himanshu Taneja, Area Director of Operations for South & East India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, Marriott, and Chef Neil Rippington, Instructor in Culinary Psychology at Harvard Extension School, Harvard University, USA, talked about managing sustainability across borders.

After these riveting sessions it was time to honour the best and brightest in the hospitality industry. Several luminaries were recognised for their invaluable contribution to the world of hospitality on International Hospitality Day. The Global Hospitality Awards 2023 kicked off with the announcement of the Hall of Fame Award. This prestigious award was given to Nakul Anand, Executive Director of ITC, for his invaluable contributions to the hospitality industry. Anand has rewritten the rules of global hospitality with his ‘Responsible Luxury’ initiative and transformation of ITC Hotels into a future-forward, pro-sustainability green hotel chain. He was also in conversation with Professor David Foskett.

Lifetime Achievement Awards went to industry veterans like K.B. Kachru, Camellia Punjabi, Chef Chris Galvin, Christopher Crowdray, Geoffrey Harrison, M.S. Gill, Peter Jones MBE, Rajiv Kaul, Sally Beck and Chef Steve Munkley.After a star studded successful virtual IHD global conclave the IHD celebrations moved to the Bangalore chapter on the 26th April 2023 where the industry met under the roof of Grand Mercure, Gopalan Signature Mall to celebrate the hospitality day.

This is the day we got together with our Community partners, Industry partners, government partners, guest partners and supplier partners to celebrate, promote, engage and seal partnerships in this amazing industry to take hospitality to ever greater heights with each passing day.This year we came together to honour and celebrate the heroes of the Hospitality Industry and the theme of this year’s International Hospitality Day is “Partnership” following the 17 Sustainable Development Goal of the United Nations.

The show opened with the Director, Bangalore Sanchari Chowdhury welcoming the guests and declaring the ceremony open. Followed by a speech by Dr.Subarno Bose who called out to the industry visionaries to promote hospitality as a fraternity, celebrate hospitality, celebrate people, People from the hospitality right from the people who build hotels to the people who run the hotel and the nuts and bolts of the industry who work behind the scene to be rewarded, celebrated for their tireless dedication to the growth of this amazing hospitality industry. IHD For the Students is a very important dayas hospitality education for them is not only a career but lifestyle.

This time Hospitality owners, community partners and tourism partners were honoured and Bangalore Chapter had 150 awardees that included Hotels, Restaurants, Pubs, Travel and Hospitality partners, Airlines and OTA. Special awards for the outstanding contribution in towards hospitality was awarded to Srijan Vadhera, FIIHM and GM , Conrad Hotel, Reuben Kataria, FIIHM and GM, Four Seasons Bangalore, Shibil Malik, FIIHM and GM, Sheraton Brigade Gateway, Bangalore, Rupam Dutta, Rupam Dutta, Sachin Maheshwari, GM, Grand Mercure Gopalan Mall, Madhav Sehgal, FIIHM and GM, Leela Palace Bangalore, George Kuruvilla, FIIHM and GM, Ritz Carlton Bangalore, Jaikant Shroff, FIIHM and GM, Taj MG Road Bangalore, Sandeep Johri, FIIHM and GM Novotel & ibis Bengaluru Outer Ring Road, Ronan Fearon, GM JW Marriott Prestige Golfshire Resort and Spa Bengaluru.

Women Leaders in the industry are shattering the glass ceiling and taking firm steps towards senior positions and their contributions and IHD and IHC believe strongly in motivating and celebrating their success to create an encouraging environment for the other women to follow footsteps. IHD awards for women achievers were given to the following. Uzma Irfan, Founder – Sublime, Director of Corporate Communications at Prestige Group, Manisha Sharma, GM, Renaissance Bengaluru Race Course Hotel, Sita Lekshmi, GM, Aloft Hotel, Bangalore, Entrepreneur of the Year was given to Ajay Gowda, Managing Partner, Byg Ventures. IIHM has been striving towards creating awareness through sustainable education and thus included a sustainable Hospitality for a Cause Award (Sustainability) which was awarded to Divyahegde, UN Awardee, Founder – Baeru, Social Entrepreneur working on Coastal climate betterment and sustainable development. Rising Star of the day was awarded to Sabrina Dey, Hotel Manager at JW Marriott Bengaluru Prestige Golfshire Resort and Spa. Hospitality influencer awards were given to Rekha Ghosh, VP Operations – Massive Restaurants, Megna Shankaranarayan, Head of Industry – Travel and Food Tech – APAC – GOOGLE, Bikramjit Ray, Editor , ET Hospitality.