HRAWI’s 20th Regional Convention Ends On A High Note

• New Industry Benchmarks Established in Evolution & Innovation

Mumbai, Oct 15: The 20^th HRAWI Regional Convention at The Taj Lands End set the stage for high-powered business sessions that explored the evolving landscape of the hospitality sector. With thought-provoking dialogues and actionable insights from top industry voices, the day’s agenda captured the industry’s spirit of innovation and resilience. The event was packed with insightful discussions featuring over 20 industry leaders, exploring themes from large-scale development to the rise of home-grown brands.

The morning began with a compelling session titled, ‘75 Years of Indian Hospitality - The Evolution’ led by Mr Vijay Thacker, Managing Director of Horwath HTL - India. The session provided a strategic overview of the industry's transformative journey, setting the stage for the day's forward-looking dialogues.

This was followed by a presentation by Maharashtra Tourism, the State Partner, highlighting investment opportunities and policy initiatives aimed at positioning Maharashtra as a world-class tourism hub.

Mr Chandrashekhar Jaiswal, GM, MTDC, speaking on behalf of Hon’ble Tourism Minister of Maharashtra - Shri Shambhuraj Desai; Minister of State - Tourism, GoM - Hon’ble Shri Indrajit Naik, Principal Secretary of Tourism - Dr Atul Patne; Director of Tourism - Dr B.N. Patil and Managing Director of MTDC - Shri Nilesh Gatne, highlighted several recent milestones that firmly position the State as India’s leading tourism hub. Maharashtra now proudly boasts five Blue Flag certified beaches, including Parnaka in Dahanu, Shrivardhan and Nagaon in Raigad, Guhagar and Ladghar in Ratnagiri, joining a prestigious league of globally recognized sustainable coastal destinations. The immensely popular BMC-MTDC Heritage Walk, hailed as South Asia’s most coveted heritage walk, is already fully booked until December 2026, underscoring the growing interest in experiential tourism. Another major highlight is the Nashik Kumbh Mela 2027-28, with key dates announced for the event, expected to attract massive domestic and international footfall.

“Each session today reflects how our industry is embracing transformation while staying rooted in its legacy. From mixed-use developments to culinary innovation, these conversations are helping shape a roadmap for Indian hospitality to scale globally. Our goal was to create a platform for actionable dialogue. The incredible participation from stakeholders across the spectrum shows the industry’s readiness to collaborate and build for the future,” says Mr Jimmy Shaw, President, HRAWI.

The session ‘Mixed-Use Development: Hospitality’s New Frontier’, moderated by Mr Vijay Thacker, panellists Ms Suma Venkatesh, Executive VP, IHCL; Mr Raghu Sapra, Head of Hospitality, Embassy and Mr Sanjay Sethi, CEO & MD, Chalet Hotels Ltd. discussed how integrated developments are redefining hospitality and tourism infrastructure across India. The experts dissected the growing trend that combines hotels with residential, retail and commercial spaces, highlighting it as a key growth model for the future.

A parallel luncheon session delved into the transformative role of Artificial Intelligence in hospitality, focusing on enhancing both cybersecurity and operational productivity. The session illustrated how AI is revolutionizing the industry by elevating guest experiences, improving service quality and boosting profitability. Leading the discussion, Mr Rajesh Chopra, Head of the Hospitality Business Vertical at Ingram Micro outlined the current trends and future trajectory of AI. He was joined by AI specialists Ms Zeba Merchant, a Microsoft Product Specialist from Ingram Micro and Mr Tapan Chaturvedi, Channel Head for India and South East Asia at Adobe, who detailed the specific capabilities of their respective platforms tailored for the hospitality sector.

The afternoon focused on the theme of growth and scaling in hospitality. The session on ‘Master Franchising: Scaling Hospitality the Smarter Way,’ moderated by Ms Megha Agarwal, Partner, Khaitan & Co, included Mr Abinash Ashok, VP – Hotel Operations & Development, Choice Hospitality, Suba Hotels Ltd; Mr Akhil Gupta, CBO, Treebo Hotels; Mr Chetan Arora, Director, IHOP; and Mr Dheeraj Gupta, Founder & MD, Jumboking, who discussed franchising strategies that drive scale and efficiency.

The momentum continued as industry experts shared their journeys in ‘Home-grown & Growing: India’s Emerging Hospitality Brands.’ Moderated by Mr Bibhor Srivastava, MD – Events, ITP Media, the segment brought together Ms Amruda Nair, Founder & Director, Araiya Hotels & Resorts Boutique Hotel Management; Mr Vikramjit Singh, Founder & CMD, Alivaa Hotels; Mr Suhail Kannampilly, MD, Concept Hospitality; and Mr Rohit Khattar, Founder-Chairman, Old World Hospitality Pvt Ltd & EHV International. Their vibrant exchange highlighted the evolution and growth of brands rooted in India’s diverse hospitality ethos.

The final session concluded with a panel discussion on ‘From Old World Charm to New Age Cuisine’, moderated by Dr Gurbaxish Singh Kohli, Jt. Managing Director, Pritam Group of Hotels featured leading chefs including Chef Manisha Bhasin, Corporate Exec. Chef, ITC Hotels; Mr Kunal Vijayakar, Co-founder, KMKH LLP; Chef Beena Noronha, Co-Founder, Saltae Hospitality and Chef Jaydeep Mukherjee, Exec. Chef, Aditya Birla New Age Hospitality. The panel explored how India’s culinary heritage is evolving to meet modern tastes and global expectations.

The HRAWI extends its gratitude to all its esteemed sponsors whose invaluable support was instrumental in the resounding success of the landmark convention including its State Partner - Maharashtra Tourism; Gold Sponsors - Tata Consumer Products, Chalet Hotels Private Limited, Ingram Micro Pvt Ltd and Crown Chef & Cool-Max and Lunch Sponsor - Munzer. The Association also extends thanks to Silver Sponsors - GOA Tourism, The Fern Hotels & Resorts, Suba Hotels and Central Bank of India; Associate Partners - Ministry of Tourism (India Tourism), Infinity Cars, 360 One Wealth, Penetron Products Pvt Ltd and Chartered House Real Estate and Business Session partners - Radisson Hotel Group, Fariyas Hotels & Resorts, The Leela and Khaitan & Co along with a special note of thanks to Supporting Sponsor - Peninsula Grand Hotel and Photo Booth partner - Revmerito / Rateping Technologies Pvt Ltd / Win Cloud, for enhancing the event experience.

About the Hotel And Restaurant Association (Western India) – HRAWI

The Hotel And Restaurant Association (Western India) – HRAWI is a 75 years old Association of Hotels and Restaurants in Western India. Its members include Restaurants and Hotels up to 5-Star Deluxe categories. With membership base spread across Western India, HRAWI covers Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Goa and Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, and is considered to be the voice of the Hospitality Industry. The association is part of the national body of the Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI), located in New Delhi, which was originally founded in Mumbai in 1950 by the late Mr J.R.D. Tata.