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Zuri Hospitality India (Private) Ltd, Indian arm of the global Zuri Group promoted by a consortium of investors from the Middle East, will soon start work on a new hotel project at Devanahalli, near the new Bangalore International Airport. This 150 room five star hotel is being built at a cost of Rs 200 crore on a 6 acre plot and will be operational in the third quarter of 2011.
The Zuri Group, which came to India from Kenya has four operational 5 star hotels in the country — Zuri Whitefield, Bangalore, Zuri Kumarakom Resort & Spa, Kerala, Zuri White Sands Resort & Casino, Goa and The Retreat by Zuri, Goa, set up with a total investment of Rs 550 crore.
Briefing reporters, on Wednesday, Zuri India Director Bobby Kamani said: We see a great growth potential in India in the hospitality sector. We are happy that despite a slowdown in the Indian economy the brand Zuri has been able to drive growth and establish itself.
Management contracts
Since setting up green field hotels take time, the Zuri group is now looking at the management contracts for running hotels under its own brand name. The aim is to quickly spread out to other cities and also establish the Zuri brand name nationally.
Zuri India Joint Director Abhishek Kamani said: In a short span, Zuri has succeeded in establishing itself with a strong niche as a young and refreshing new brand of luxury hospitality. We want to ensure this experience is made available to more people through management partnership.”
Also central to the group’s expansion plans in India is a foray into the green energy segment. The group that already operates 24 windmills in Tamil Nadu is planning to invest in geothermal projects and waste management projects to generate power. The capital expenditure for one geothermal project will be around $10 million, Kamani added. The Zuri Group current turnover stands at Rs 100 crore in India and Rs 150 crore internationally.
The group’s other interests include floriculture which have been their core business for many years, and real estate. Primarosa Flowers, based in Nairobi, Kenya, presently exports over 150 million roses a year to countries around the world, the company said.