Exploring opportunities in the domestic tourism sector, Mahindra Holidays and Resorts India has come up with Homestays providing sustainable services and accommodation. Vimla Dorairaju, business head speaks about the product and the strategy.

Vacations are fast becoming an integral part of today's lifestyle. They have become an essential means to escape the demands of everyday life, to de-stress and rejuvenate yourself before plunging back in to routine. But more often than not, a vacation may provide all the physical rejuvenation you need but may not refresh you mentally.

“The timeshare industry in India has grown at a compounded annual growth rate of 20 percent since the mid 1990s. Currently there are about 250,000 household owning timeshare and this figure has been increasing at a rapid pace over the last few years,” BS Rathore. Chairman, All India Resorts Development Association (AIRDA) told T3. His statement is supported by Ramesh Ramanathan, MD of Mahindra Holidays & Resorts

It’s been a great year at Mahindra Holidays & Resorts India Limited (MHRIL). The company’s profits have jumped 41%in 2009-10 to Rs 118 crore on revenues that have been higher by 20% at Rs 468.7 crore. But the Chennai headquartered firm is not about to take a break.

Home cooked food, local culture and cuisine, warm, friendly accommodation and company for dinner; the increasing popularity of Homestay tourism which has caught the fancy of not only foreign tourists but evolved domestic travelers too, is not surprising. Providing a fillip to the growth of this alternate accommodation segment is the foray of private players. Companies like Mahindra Homestay, Comfort Homestay and Pride Hospitality group are not only helping home owners turned hoteliers sell rooms, but also in marketing, giving it a branding edge.

India’s leading brand in vacation ownership space, Mahindra Holidays and Resorts India (MHRIL) has a strong presence in south India. In fact, Mahindra Holidays’ first resort was commissioned in the beautiful hill station of Munnar in Kerala and remains one of its most sought after properties till date. “It would be worthwhile to mention that Munnar was our first and remains one of your marquee properties…”

Vacation Home operator, Mahindra Holidays and Resorts India Ltd (MHRIL) is looking to expand its room inventories, through both organic and inorganic routes, at an investment of Rs 300-350 crore during this financial year. “We will fund the expansion through our internal accruals. Currently, we are a debt free company,” Managing Director Ramesh Ramanathan told Business Standard.

Mahindra Holidays & Resorts India plans to introduce another sub-brand in the next few years that would address all income and age groups. “We will announce a variety of new products covering a gamut of experiences,” Ms Vimla Dorairaju, Business Head, Mahindra Homestays, told Business Line. Brands of Mahindra Holidays include Club Mahindra Holidays, Club Mahindra Travel, Club Mahindra Fundays, Zest and Mahindra Homestays.

Travel gets a country moving and India is moving. Weaving this thought, Shekhar Gupta, Editor in Chief, The Indian Express in his opening address at the 7th Bird Express TravelWorld Awards 2009 highlighted the fact that travel trade growth does change the outlook of the country and the entire economics for a sustainable future. At the awards held at the ITC Maurya, New Delhi, he said, “I am happy that the entire travel fraternity is represented here and we stand hereto award excellence in the travel trade…”

Arun Nanda, chairman of Mahindra Holidays and Mahindra Life Space and also executive director on the M&M board, who was called brave-heart by a news channel when he decided to go for an IPO for Club Mahindra. The article quotes Mr. Nanda "I went by my gut feeling." The article adds that it was the Mahindra Club IPO that set the ball rolling for IPOs and till date it remains one of the successful issues when many that came after are quoting below their issue price...

RCI, the global leader in vacation exchange and one of the Wyndham Worldwide family of companies (NYSE: WYN), today announced four new affiliations with resorts belonging to leisure hospitality major Club Mahindra. The new resorts include Club Mahindra Lake Forest in Yercaud, Club Mahindra Tusker Trails in Thekkady, Club Mahindra Backwater Retreat in Ashtamudi Lake and Club Mahindra Dancing Waters in Naukuchiatal...

Fitch Ratings revised the rating outlook of Mahindra Holidays and Resorts India Limited (MHRIL) to Positive from Stable, and affirmed the National Long-term rating at 'A (ind)'....

A downturn calls for swifter and more efficient tactics...

No Marketing without asking first, says Club Mahindra...

The Club that Mahindra built. Never mind the slow down, this holiday company believes that customer experience will be the key driver...

With excess capacity slowly showing up in family holiday service business, MHRIL looks at acquisition options...

Club Mahindra posts 89% occupancy in December '08

Club Mahindra opens new resort near Shimla

Happy holidays
In just 11 years, market leader Club Mahindra has redefined India’s burgeoning timeshare industry Ramesh Ramanathan is not your average tourist. On family vacations, when most folk tend to get camera-happy taking scenic photographs for the family album, Ramanathan wanders about shooting a patio here and a windowsill there. For Ramanathan, managing director, Mahindra Holidays & Resorts, vacations are his business.

Time shared is money earned. Shared ownership of holiday resorts emerging as a lucrative alternative to conventional hotel products

10 Year award for Club Mahindra Lakeview, Munnar