KOCHI
Having set out to open 150 properties in India in the next one decade, hurdles created by various authorities and government departments are a worrying factor for global hospitality giant Inter-Continental Hotels Group (IHG).
“There are a lot of challenges in India. There are many hurdles to get business done here. There are so many problems with local authorities. It is not easy here,” IHG vice president (Operations, Southwest Asia) Douglas Martell told IANS in an interview here where IHG has two properties.
“There are a lot of things that you take for granted from the authorities in other countries. Here, you are dealing with so many departments and people. Getting clearances takes a lot of time and effort,” Martell said.
“Sometimes, I feel sorry for the owners as they deal with these problems and projects get delayed and costs keep going up. It takes just three years to set up a hotel in China whereas in India it can take up to seven years. This pushes up the cost considerably,” Martell, who hails from Melbourne, said.
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