Kolkata Hotels Experience Unprecedented Demand, Rooms Sold Out for Weeks
The hospitality sector in Kolkata is witnessing an extraordinary surge, with rooms in most star-rated hotels across the city completely sold out for the next 20 days. This remarkable occupancy spike is fueled by a perfect storm of events: the ongoing T20 World Cup frenzy, a bustling wedding season, and a packed schedule of business conferences.
Multiple Factors Drive Record Bookings
Kolkata, hosting several T20 World Cup matches, has become a major destination for sports enthusiasts. Simultaneously, the wedding season has resumed with full vigor after a nearly two-month hiatus, adding significant demand. Industry insiders reveal that the city boasts approximately 7,500 rooms in the five- and four-star categories, along with 157 banquet halls with a combined capacity of 30,000. Most of these hospitality spaces are fully booked for this month and much of March.
Sudesh Poddar, president of the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Eastern India, emphasized the unprecedented nature of this demand. "The demand for hotel rooms and banquets is typically high during this period, but this season it has skyrocketed. With inbound tourist flow increasing, we anticipate this trend will persist until the end of March," he stated.
Calendar Packed with Major Events
K Mohanchandran, senior vice-president of operations at the Taj Group, detailed the city's crowded hospitality calendar. Over the coming weeks, Kolkata will host a series of MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) events, hundreds of weddings, the T20 World Cup, an international chess tournament, and a literary meet. Additionally, the usual foreign leisure travel scheduled for this time of year contributes to the high occupancy.
Mohanchandran confirmed that rooms and banquets at Taj Group properties in Kolkata, including Taj Bengal, Taj Taalkutir, Taj City Centre, and Vivanta, are booked for multiple dates this month.
Soaring Demand Leads to Higher Rates
With demand reaching peak levels, patrons are facing increased costs. Granth Kapoor from Delhi, visiting Kolkata on business, encountered room rates significantly above his company's entitlement. He had to seek special approval from his superiors to book a room at a higher tariff, highlighting the financial impact of this surge.
Gaurav Soneja, cluster general manager at ITC Royal Bengal and ITC Sonar, reported extremely robust demand at both hotels. "We are sold out on all wedding dates. Furthermore, we are hosting several large residential conferences. Most days in January were booked, and February also shows high bookings," he explained.
Industry-Wide Occupancy at Peak Levels
Kamal Raja, general manager of development at Lalit Suri Hospitality, noted that his hotel is fully booked for at least the first half of February. For the remainder of the month and until March 15, occupancy stands at 85%. "In January, some days were fully booked as well," he added.
Nitu Agarwal, manager of marketing and communications at Hyatt Regency Kolkata, commented on the healthy booking pace. "Our occupancy levels vary by date, with certain days experiencing high demand across both rooms and banquets," she said.
Rajesh Ishai, general manager of Sonet Hotel, pointed out that this four-star boutique property is fully booked on many days between now and the first week of March. "We are witnessing very strong bookings in February. Rooms are sold out on approximately 15 days in February, with occupancy around 80% for the rest of the month," he detailed.
This convergence of events has created a booming period for Kolkata's hospitality industry, with no signs of slowing down in the near future.
