Big expansion on cards

Moumita Mukherjee Paul, Director Sales for India Market, Centara Group of Hotels, says that the group kept its feet firmly on the ground during COVID times and has plans to expand business this year.

Janice Alyosius

Moumita Mukherjee Paul, Director Sales for India Market, Centara Group of Hotels, is hopeful that the hotel’s business will grow this year. “I think this is a showtime for Centara in 2022, we are hopeful and positive. We have very aggressive pricing for all the properties in Thailand, and talking about our hero product, that is Maldives Centara Grand Island Maldives, has a promotion of 40 per cent off from the contract and it has been given to all our long-standing contractual partners,” she said.

Speaking of the pandemic times, Paul emphasised on the fact that Maldives has been “the bread and butter for all of us”. “The outbound has survived because of this destination, so we should not be forgetting this at any point and in any chance, it is a paradise very different. It is a niche destination and Centara has some brilliant resorts out there. The brand stands strong with two brilliant properties targeting different segments altogether. So, yes. I mean all goes out for Maldives this season,” she said.

Revealing the brand’s expansion plans, Paul said that the hotel’s Japan expansion plan is on the cards next year. “We are already expanding; our expansion has not stopped even during the pandemic. We had one of the highest inventories opened in Vietnam, which is Centara Mirage. Our property in Dubai, the much-awaited property with 600 plus room nights, opened during the time of lockdown. We had a lot of Centara properties opening across the Kingdom of Thailand during the lockdown. So, our expansion had never stopped. We didn’t stop during the time of COVID, so hoping that we will not stop now as well,” she said. Speaking of the offerings for the trave trade, Paul said, “Our policy for the travel trade partners has always been considered keeping how their relationship has been and we value relationship always. So, we have booker incentives, which cater to the top sellers of each company.”