Page 44 - April-May 2023

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts’
FOOD & BEVERAGE Dimitris Manikis, President
EMEA and Nikhil Sharma,
Market Managing Director,
Eurasia: think-tank behind the
prestigious chef competition.

be a key focus at Wyndham, and we look forward to “DURING THE COMPETITION, I WAS
bringing the winning chefs into the conversation to find
creative solutions to minimising our environmental AMAZED AT HOW CREATIVE OUR
impact and reducing food waste, one of the industry’s WYNDHAM CHEFS ARE AND HOW
biggest challenges.” VISUALLY APPEALING A TRADITIONAL
The global hospitality company has witnessed
remarkable growth in India, currently operating over 50 INDIAN DISH CAN LOOK. NOW, OUR
hotels and more than 4,700 rooms in the region. In India, FOCUS IS ABOUT HOW WE CAN TAKE
Wyndham’s portfolio of six brands includes Ramada by THE LOCAL CUISINE TO THE NEXT LEVEL.”
Wyndham, Ramada Encore by Wyndham, Wyndham,
Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham, Days Inn by Wyndham, Dimitris Manikis, President EMEA, Wyndham
and Howard Johnson by Wyndham. Hotels & Resorts
Talking about expansion plans in the subcontinent,
Dimitris said, “In India, our franchised hotels make up
95-98 per cent of the business model and we are proud to talent to the rest of the world so that others may learn and
have a strong portfolio of brands in the market including understand true Indian hospitality.”
one of the leading and most popular, Ramada by When asked about the group’s focus on F&B strategy he
Wyndham. The infrastructure plan is also a major factor replied: “In India, 40-50 per cent of revenue in the hotels
for expansion. Airports will connect cities, societies and comes from F&B and, therefore, offers immense potential.
people. Train and road networks will connect tier 2 cities We have witnessed significant changes in the F&B sector
and they will need hotels. That’s why we are bullish about over the past two years. One trend I have noticed with
India and this steady trajectory will help Wyndham reach Indian hospitality is that people still love to go and socialise
150 hotels by 2025.” in hotels. In Europe, hotels used to just be a place to stay but
“Another important focus and one that is very close to the world is changing, and hotels are becoming a place to
my heart is people,” he continued. “We are employing more work, eat and socialise. After Covid, a key takeaway is that
talent here in India and at the same time, we are looking to the hotel industry needs to be part of the social ecosystem.
export talent from India. The culture of Indian hospitality Therefore, we are planning to introduce signature F&B
is not only impacting the country but the way hospitality is strategies for our hotels that they can follow.”
delivered across the world. The exceptional education This initiative is to empower, ignite and leverage F&B
delivered in hospitality schools will help prepare and across their franchisee in the region. Nikhil Sharma,
shape the industry’s future leaders. To me, the success of Market Managing Director, Eurasia, Wyndham Hotels &
Wyndham in India involves exporting the exceptional Resorts, said, “The F&B division contributes almost 50

44 APRIL-MAY 2023 hospitality horizon www.hospitality-horizon.com