Tourism Breaking News
Clarks Collection makes further inroads in Gujarat by opening Clarks Collection Somnath. The brand already has a presence in Vadodara and Bhavnagar. The brand Clarks Collection is incorporated catering to business travelers, upscale tourists, and experiential seeking travelers. They are looking at geographical expansion by opening properties in Rajasthan and Gujarat. By the end of the financial year 2024, the brand will add 10 more properties to the current portfolio. They aim to expand geographically to Ajmer, Udaipur, Kumbhalgarh, Ahmedabad, etc.
India has recently emerged as an emerging business travel market. In the APAC region after China and Japan, India is leading in the business travel domain. According to the report, Gujarat is witnessing a steady growth in terms of travelers. The state is the most industrialized state in India, it is known as India’s chemicals and petrochemicals hub. The state has eight chemical clusters, 14 industrial estates, and three SEZs, which are primarily dedicated to the chemicals and petrochemicals industry. Oil and gas reserves are located at Ankleshwar, Mehsana, Tapti High, Hazira, Bharuch, Gandhar, Dahej, Jambusar, Palej, and Kalol. Isolated gas fields are located around Ahmedabad. Export of petroleum products from Gujarat reached US$ 17,972.08 million in FY20. The state also has over 3,300 pharmaceutical manufacturing units, which contributed 30-35% to India’s pharma sector’s turnover and around 28% to India’s pharma export during 2018-19. The state witnessed a heavy flow of business travelers due to the presence of the said industries.
The Clarks Somnath collection is for spiritual travelers. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, Somnath Temple is one of the most important spiritual places in Hinduism. The temple is widely regarded as the first of twelve jyotirlingas in the country and receives 80 to 90 lakhs of visits annually. The Clarks Collection Somnath is within walking distance of the temple.
The property has 50 rooms extend across three categories. They have an in-house banquet hall spread over 5000 sqft, a vegetarian restaurant providing Satvik food, a gym, and a spa on the property. Sustainability and responsible tourism are the key focus areas of the brand. They have designed various experiential targeting different sets of audiences. The property is generating good responses from solo travelers, families, spiritual travelers, and millennials.
The founders have a mission to create an eco-system of sustainable tourism generated through building local, hiring local, and showcasing local experiences.
Mr.Prakahs Bedi, Vice President, Clarks Collection shares, “We are planning to expand pan India and targeting 50% occupancy in the coming financial year. We believe experience plays an important role in the hospitality industry, and we are curating personalized experiences for our guests. As a national hospitality player, we have policies in place for responsible tourism. Appropriate measures are in place to ensure the sanctity of the holy city is left undisturbed. We are going to invest in technology infrastructure and going to use AI and deep tech for reaching out to the right audience. We want to play a significant role in spreading awareness around India’s diverse spiritual culture to the world.”
The brand is all set to develop the local area, in order to develop the local economy, 80% of the team members are hired and trained locally. They promote a zero plastic policy and use locally sourced construction materials as far as possible.
