The US-based hospitality major Vantage Hospitality Group is in the process of identifying a “master partner” for its India operations. The group plans to launch its Value Inn Worldwide brand of mid-market and luxury hotels in the country.

One among the fastest-growing hotel group, which has 900 properties under its different brands, looks forward to have 300 hotels in the country in five years under its ‘freestyle brand affiliation model’.

“We are looking for a master partner who will identify properties in various Indian states and manage them. The brand name and all support services will be given at a reasonable fee-structure,” Gene Kordoban, director of industry affairs and member development of Vantage Hospitality Group told Financial Chronicle.

Vantage is in talks with a few prominent groups, he said without disclosing the names.

“We look forward to establish the brand in the country in five years, which will need a “critical volume” of around 300 properties.

Apart from five hotels in the luxury segment, rest of the 300 properties will be in the mid-market category. In India, there seems to be a good market for the mid-market hotels,” he said.

A mid-market hotel under the Value Inn Worldwide brand will need an investment of $30,000 to $35,000, whereas the luxury hotels require double the investment.

Vantage is eyeing places like Goa, Jaipur and Tamil Nadu for the hotels in the first phase.

The group, which grew from two to 900 hotels in ten years, added 135 properties in 2009.

Vantage’s innovative ‘freestyle brand affiliation’ gives the company’s partners freedom to operate the hotel and design customised strategies to meet the demands of their specific market and guest segment. The contracts are of short-term and the partner has a voice in policies and procedures.

sangeethag

@mydigitalfc.com