Budget A Damp Squib For The Hospitality Sector

 Post budget reactions from Mandeep Lamba, Managing Director – India, JLL Hotels & Hospitality.

For the first time in recent history, the government in power had announced tourism as one of its four pillars for growth. Consequently, the hospitality was looking forward to significant new provisions in Budget 2014. However, quite like in most previous years, the government failed to give hospitality any notable relief and stimulus for growth. Despite its 6.6% contribution to the GDP and the fact that it created close to 40 million jobs in 2012-13, the Indian hospitality sector continues to be a story of neglect from our policy makers.

Even today, India receives only about 0.5% of the global tourist arrivals despite being a country rich in history, culture, natural splendour and diversity. The fact that it has still not been equipped to receive a better share of global tourism receipts is puzzling and frustrating.

What Was Delivered

* The budget gave tourism some mention and indicated plans for long-term growth by way of developing India’s pilgrimage and heritage tourism circuits (PRASAD & HRIDAY schemes) and also provided for the development of a world-class convention centre in Goa via the PPP route. While these are welcome initiatives, these provisions will take between five to ten years to impact the growth of domestic and international tourist travel.

* The introduction of electronic visas and visas-on-arrival initiated earlier this year can be a major game-changer for Indian tourism with respect to foreign travel into India.

* The time-bound directive to implement e-visas at nine major airports within six months is perhaps the best news that this budget has delivered. This can have far-reaching consequences once implemented.

* The improvement and modernisation of railways, proposed new airports of international standards and the thrust on improved road connectivity augur well for the hospitality industry. These along with other policy announcements regarding increased FDI in several sectors and clarity on setting up of REITS, are catalysts for growth.

What Was Ignored

* The sector is desperately in need of incentives in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities to make hotel investments there reasonably attractive

* The sector also needs better borrowing terms through the infrastructure lending route, and relaxed ECB norms

* The sector needs to be spared from double taxation through service and luxury tax/VAT at the state and centre levels. Indian hospitality was looking forward to rationalisation of taxes and ease of raising capital.

No economy can hope to achieve and maintain any degree of sustainable growth and buoyancy without its tourism and hospitality sector being given the necessary importance and corresponding stimuli. As of now, the Indian hospitality sector is still trying to shake off the lingering effects of the serious downturn it has been experiencing for almost six years.

In short, from the perspective of the Indian tourism hospitality sector, Budget 2014 failed to deliver. The industry must continue to survive primarily on the basis of die-hard optimism that it will eventually be given its rightful importance at the policy level.

Data Security Council of India & NLSIU Sign MoU

Data Security Council of India (DSCI) today announced that it has signed a two-year MoU with the National Law School of India University (NLSIU). Under this agreement both institutions will undertake collaborative research and conduct public advocacy in the areas of cyber laws and data protection.

This strategic alliance will support closer industry-academia interactions through joint research and hosting of national and international conferences on Information Technology law and policy. It also aims at enhancing the knowledge of law graduates though professional skill development programs. Accordingly, DSCI will contribute to the development of course materials on cyber security and cyber law by NLSIU. In turn, DSCI will draw on the legal expertise of NLSIU faculty members on the areas of IT Law to support its ongoing policy initiatives.

Dr. R. Venkata Rao, Vice Chancellor, National Law School of India University said that “this is a very important step in NLSIU’s focus on law, science and technology.”

Dr. Kamlesh Bajaj, CEO, DSCI said “DSCI is taking comprehensive efforts at various levels to enhance the industry’s awareness on cyber security and data protection. This collaboration will open several avenues to nurture the talent of our nation.”

Nasscom Welcomes Govt Focus On ICT & Digital India

NASSCOM today welcomed the focus on the ICT sector in the Union Budget proposals 2014-15 and termed it as a pragmatic and directional budget.

R. Chandrashekhar, President, NASSCOM said, “The announcements on a pan India digital initiative, funding for start-ups, district level incubator network and leveraging technology for good governance are welcome steps. These measures along with the initiatives on skilling, smart cities and ease of business, reflect the thrust on role of technology in Budget 2014”.

The proposal to set-up a Rs. 10,000 crore fund for start-ups and entrepreneurs will act as a great booster for the growing start-up landscape and will help drive innovation and solutions for the global as well as the domestic markets. At the same time, a pan-India "Digital India" programme will promote digital inclusion with broadband connectivity up to the village level, thereby enabling improved access to services through IT enabled platforms.

Leveraging technology for access and governance was another key highlight of the budget. The Ebiz initiative, E-kranti, Virtual classroom, E-visas, Financial Inclusion Mission and many others will help to enhance technology usage in the India market. The industry will look to partner with the government on these initiatives and would urge the government to address key challenges in the current procurement processes so that the industry can contribute optimally in this national agenda.

NASSCOM and the industry thanked the government for addressing many key concerns raised by it on transfer pricing issues. The APA rollback, usage of multi-year data for benchmarking and other announcements should help to improve the business environment in the country. The budget proposal on proactively brining a closure to the retrospective tax issue and setting-up a high-level CBDT committee should address industry concerns. There remain certain areas of concern, which could perhaps be addressed through subsequent guidelines and/or clarifications such as those related to royalty definition, Place of Provision of Service Rules, etc.

Skills development, infrastructure, innovation and social development were other welcome highlights in the budget that would enhance India’s long-term competitiveness.

Lastly, the statements on providing a stable tax regime, reducing litigation related to tax and providing a conducive regulatory environment for start-ups and companies to establish, operate and where necessary, close businesses would help improve the business environment in the country.

Leverage Tech For India’s Next Growth Phase: IET

Budget reactions from Shekhar Sanyal, Director & Country Head, the Institution of Engineering and Technology.
 

The new government’s Union budget for the year 2014-15 is a welcome move with a more strategic focus, concentrating on mid-long term implications towards sustainable growth. The commitment to achieve 7-8% economic growth in the next 3-4 years anchoring on the core sectors is much needed to revive the sluggish economy. We, at The IET, are very positive about the fiscal prudence reflected in this budget. It is a validation of the Government’s promise to leverage technology for India’s next phase of growth. There is a holistic view of riding on technology right from creating a foundation for talent to an ecosystem for entrepreneurial projects and intelligent tech implementation such as for farmers, remote communication, renewable energy, manufacturing and smart cities.

The government’s move to establish more IITs and IIMs is great to strengthen the pool of quality technical talent that will enable India’s journey to be a scientific power. The IET’s vision is also to build a strong engineering ecosystem in India that contributes to the society in resolving critical societal challenges. We are happy to note that the budget is aligned with our vision and we see immediate opportunity from each section of the society – government, corporate and academia to collaborate for economic development.

The budget’s special emphasis on encouraging entrepreneurs by providing funds and establishing business incubators in each district will provide a platform to build the next big global companies from India, many of which will leverage technology for growth. Significant fund allocation to the solar and power sector is a positive step towards a result oriented transition to a more sustainable energy independent country. Government’s focus on domestic manufacturing sector which has not seen progress is set to evolve with the fillip in investment allowance. This will generate more employment opportunities and attract young talent.

Lastly, the budget’s focus on urban development and smart cities will open a plethora of opportunities for technology implementation that benefit citizens. The creation of new urban centers on the principles of sustainable urbanization is at the core of any developing country’s success.

To sum up, the budget is certainly a first step towards the government’s vision to transform India. With some new initiatives in each sector, it will definitely bring together a revolution and the IET, being a professional body to streamline engineering and technology can partner with the government to play a critical role in bringing the change

Hyper Innovation Strategies At Confluence 2014

Attending executives will learn about digital convergence and delivering unified digital experiences across software, cloud, mobility and analytics

Symphony Teleca Corporation, the global innovation and development services company, today announced that it will showcase strategies for accelerated innovation from India Centers to hundreds of executives expected to attend the Zinnov Confluence in Bangalore, India on July 16-17, 2014.

Symphony Teleca has over 7,500 business and technology experts who understand the challenges organizations face around people, process and technology while embarking on the new digital frontier. At Confluence 2014, company experts will help attendees understand the numerous ways in which Symphony Teleca can help in enabling a holistic digital transformation.

Attendees will:

* Get a sneak peek at some of the company’s innovative and engaging apps across verticals

* Speak to digital experts to understand Symphony Teleca’s capabilities across the Internet Value-chain from Content to Consumption

* Understand the various areas in which Symphony Teleca can help clients:

o   Anything, anywhere: Enhanced agility and scalability through accelerated innovation

o   Mobile and Connected Devices: Demonstrated expertise and partnerships across the embedded ecosystem that result in reduced time to market

o   Predictive Analytics: Proven leaders in operationalizing analytics, and experts in integrating predictive models to drive positive business outcome.

o   Seamless digital experience: Proven track record in delivering unified digital experience across channels

Sandeep Kalra, EVP & GM, SPP Division of Symphony Teleca, will talk at a keynote panel discussion at the Confluence entitled “Money Never Sleeps: Influencing Global Revenue" on July 17 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.

Olivier Batherosse, R&D Shared Services Director, Symphony EYC, will shed light on how his team has realized the true value from collaborating with Symphony Teleca by participating in a panel discussion  entitled "'Inception: Hacking the Customer's Mind" on July 17 from 2:00 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.

New Senior Leaders Appointed At Juniper APAC

 

Juniper Networks, the industry leader in network innovation, today announced a series of senior appointments in Asia-Pacific (APAC).  The new appointments, which span sales, systems engineering, marketing and partners, help position the company to capitalize on the highest growth opportunities in APAC as customers migrate to High-IQ Networks and best-in-class cloud environments.

The new appointments include:

* Wendy Koh has been promoted to senior vice president (SVP) of APAC Sales. Based in Singapore, Koh will be responsible for Juniper Networks’ sales and operations across the region including customer engagement, sales development, training and enablement, strategic planning and revenue growth. An 11-year Juniper veteran, Koh has held several senior leadership roles across the company including VP of APAC Service Provider and, immediately prior to this role, VP of Asia Sales. Koh reports to Vince Molinaro, Juniper Networks’ chief customer officer.

* Mitch Lewis, previously VP of Strategic Alliances, has relocated to Singapore to assume the role of VP of APAC Partners reporting to Wendy Koh.  Lewis brings over 25 years’ industry experience working in sales, marketing and technology roles for companies that include AT&T, Dilithium Networks and Microsoft. He also served as VP of APAC Sales and Marketing and President of Indonesia for Ericsson. 

* Russell Skingsley has been promoted to VP of APAC Systems Engineering and Center of Excellence, focused on product evangelization, field enablement and overall technology stewardship.  Skingsley has 25 years’ experience in the industry, including seven years living in Vietnam as Chief Technology Officer for FPT Telecom.  He joined Juniper in 2009 and has served in a number of senior APAC and global technology roles based out of Singapore.  He reports to Wendy Koh.

* Helda Lopes, previously senior director of Worldwide Partner Marketing, has been promoted to VP of APAC Field and Partner Marketing.  Reporting to Matt Hurley, VP of Worldwide Field and Partner Marketing, Lopes is based in Singapore and responsible for advancing Juniper’s brand, pipeline generation, partner co-marketing and sales enablement. Lopes is a seasoned and creative marketing leader who has held senior marketing positions at Juniper and Cisco. 

* Mark Ablett has been appointed vice president of Juniper’s newly created South Asia region, which encompasses Australia, New Zealand and ASEAN. Reporting to Wendy Koh, Ablett is focused on leveraging Juniper’s talent and experience across the South Asia area to accelerate growth for Juniper, its customers and partners. Ablett has held a variety of APAC and ANZ roles at Juniper since he joined in 2008 and has more than 18 years’ experience in the IT industry.

“Home to the world’s largest mobile and Internet population and a diverse mix of emerging and mature markets, Asia Pacific presents significant opportunity for Juniper. The deep industry, customer, partner and Juniper knowledge and passion that exists across our newly formed APAC management team will help the company capitalize on this opportunity and address the rapidly evolving networking needs of our APAC customers.  The combined 30-year Juniper tenure of this team is also testament to the talent we have developed from within,” said Vince Molinaro, Chief Customer Officer, Juniper Networks.

Tablet Gaming Championship At UniverCell Stores

At the launch of their tenth store in Mumbai, UniverCell, the leader in tablet retail space, announce the Univercell Tablet Gaming Championship powered by Intel, a unique in-store consumer engagement initiative that will give gaming buffs the ultimate adrenaline rush. The event will run across 25 UniverCell SYNC stores in Mumbai and Bangalore, where players will compete for winning two popular games – the Asphalt 8 Airborne, and FIFA 14 by EA Sports.^*

Designed to run over a span of two weeks, the contest will identify top scorers each day, across all participating stores who will be given a co-branded t-shirt. Powered by Intel, this championship will kick-off on July 14, and conclude at the end of the fortnight, where Univercell will award two winners each, from both the metros, an Intel processor based tablet. Detailed rules and regulations of the championship will be available on the Univercell website.

Kicking off the tablet gaming championship, Sathish Babu, Founder, Univercell Telecommunications said “We are extremely happy to launch our tenth store in Maharashtra. As a strategic move, we have launched this store in a prominent location like Colaba to play a dominating role in Mumbai, Maharashtra and eventually across India. Being the pioneers in mobile retail, we are confident that customers will prefer us for our superior services and proactive value added services.”

At the event, UniverCell outlined its strong foothold in tablet market and belief in delivering a rich consumer experience across all its stores.Speaking about Univercell’s collaboration with Intel, Sathish Babu, Founder, Univercell Telecommunications said “For us at Univercell, providing a rich consumer experience just as important as showcasing a range of best-in-class products. We are excited to collaborate with Intel this year for showcasing a range of Intel based devices across our stores because our ethos of providing an unparalleled consumer experience matches with the range of products from Intel that deliver a superior computing experience to users.”

Earlier this year, Intel outlined its strategy to accelerate its growth in India, driven by an increased focus on new mobile form factors like 2 in 1s and Tablets. The collaboration with UniverCell, is a part of Intel’ strategy to accelerate its growth in India, driven by an increased focus on new mobile form factors, such as 2 in 1s and tablets. Speaking at the event, Sandeep Aurora, Director Marketing and Market Development said ‘There are over 200 million middle-class potential customers in India alone for different screen sizes across different price points. We are seeing a lot of traction in the 7 to 9 inch space here^{^} and we are excited to be working with Univercell this year delivering an exciting hands-on experience to consumers on our Intel processor based devices particularly in these screen sizes. The Univercell tablet gaming championship powered by Intel will give those consumers walking into the stores to experience Intel based tablets which provide an ideal balance of performance, battery life and graphics.”