What drew Mantis to India?
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| Graham Moon |
India ranks high among the nature tourism destinations in the world given the immense bio-diversity and the varied landscapes. The luxury nature tourism sector is currently untapped and we are keen to take advantage of this opportunity. Indians are also currently the highest spenders in travel sector, with a large domestic market that is willing to spend top dollar it was a logical decision for us to enter the Indian sub-continent. Hence we set up a joint venture in India with the ICS Group called Ayana Hospitality.
What is your vision for India and the subcontinent in the long term?
Our vision is to become the number one player in the Indian luxury boutique segment. We plan to have 30 hotels in the next 10 years. We would like to establish our presence in the following regions: Kerala, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal, Uttarakhand, Lakshwadeep and Andaman. We are also exploring opportunities in Sri-lanka, Bhutan and the Maldives.
How would you compare the hospitality industry in the African continent to that in India?
I feel that the African hospitality is more developed and mature as compared to India in terms of leisure tourism. The luxury boutique concept is still not well understood amongst the typical Indian traveller.
Please define Mantis’ definition of hospitality which also reflects in the group’s hotels.
For us hospitality means having properties, which represent the finest example of it’s kind and celebrates the culture, gastronomy, architecture and nature of the locations in which they are found, to offer guests an authentic experience without compromising the luxury.
Mantis is committed to the spirit of conservation and restoration, and each property is sensitive to it’s surroundings in respect of the building, environment and local community. The vision is to share untouched nature destinations with our clientele and provide a once in a lifetime experience. Whilst every property is unique, being part of the collection ensures that the quality of facilities, service and overall experience is consistently five-star and guests can always expect personal, friendly service.
How do Mantis Collection hotels stand apart from the rest?
The entrepreneurial spirit of the family underpins that of the group allowing them to be dynamic in the growth of the portfolio, responding quickly to consumer demand. Mantis offers member properties the ideal sales, marketing and management solution for their boutique business to ensure successful growth and drive long term brand development.
The company also offers consultancy services in other disciplines including conservation, education and hotel development.
