ROYAL REPORTER www.karmaroyalgroup.com | www.odysseypremier.com 2012 LE PREVERGER SAINT TROPEZ, FRANCE MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN this year but look forward to providing even better services and holiday experiences. To this end we are THIS ISSUE launching a new reservations, exchange and service platform called Odyssey that we believe will increase Dear Members, the holiday options available to members, decrease the overall cost of membership and provide a one- It’s with great pleasure that I welcome you to this stop, convenient and caring customer relations information packed edition of Royal Reporter. In interface. particular, since I will be taking over the editorial reins forthwith, as I happily return to what I now regard You will be pleased to know that our overall member- very much as my home here in India - this time in the base has risen again this year by approximately 2,500 newly appointed role of Managing Director. With the members. What does this really mean? – well it rapid evolution of Karma Royal Group into a leading means that we are a financially strong company with global provider of lifestyle and destination experiences, a growing client base, that in turn provides the ability we believe it is a good time to create an even more for us to expand and offer more to our members. intimate relationship with you, our members. That’s why We believe this is important in a world where we’re introducing the brand new Odyssey platform, economic uncertainly is widespread. We thank you a cutting edge customer services tool that will make for your support - because this enables us to improve holiday planning as smooth and seamless as possible. Dear Members, and grow, and as a result give you more. This edition, you can also meet our Indian Resort General Managers, who’ve been good enough to tell us Greetings from the Karma Royal Group and welcome Happy holidays! a bit about themselves in their own words - including to another edition of the Royal Reporter, where we myself! Our GM’s also share the myriad improvements reveal all the latest news from the group and look Yours faithfully, and upgrades that have taken place at each resort in back over the past few months. And they have our fourth feature, while in feature 5 we celebrate indeed been busy months with a large refurbishment the latest Camp Royal, where children from deprived program undertaken in Goa, new acquisitions for backgrounds get to enjoy the holiday of a lifetime at the group’s portfolio and a huge range of activities one of our Goa resorts. All of this besides a packed undertaken. news section, our 2013 management fee competition, John Spence your questions answered in our Q&A section and I am extremely heartened by the many letters of Chairman some exciting special offers to wrap things up. Enjoy! support and encouragement received from you Karma Royal Group Esperanca Patricio MD INDIA, VP Karma Royal Group THE KEY TO YOUR HOLIDAY KINGDOM The future of holiday membership services is here…let the ODYSSEY begin… We don’t believe in just providing our members with Odyssey reflects the ways in which the internet has Odyssey brings members all of these things. Customer Services. We believe in providing them with revolutionised the way we communicate and brings the very best Customer Services possible. We are members a much more immediate way of accessing To get started with Odyssey, please contact your therefore pleased to introduce an exciting new service services, booking holidays and communicating with personal Odyssey Navigator on : platform to our members. ODYSSEY takes advantage our support staff. Through Odyssey, which is powered +62 (0)361 762 131 of new online technologies to provide members by RCI, members can now access a staggering 4000 or visit : www.odysseypremier.com with the most comprehensive and clear service tool resorts across the globe. Ease of access, brand new imaginable, replacing Royal Exchange (REX). destinations, improved services, interaction, news…. royal takes the crown(s) Royal scoops a host of hospitality industry accolades… Only a 30 minute ferry ride from Perth, Royal Resorts status as an industry leader has been further cemented Western Australia, the Rottnest Lodge over the last few months with a number of awards and accolades. RGBC (A Chakra Resort) on Rottnest Island represents Haathi Mahal, Monte Rio and Benaulim and one of our newest acquisitions the perfect getaway from it all. AlpenClub in Germany have each been awarded Trip Advisor’s coveted Certificate of Excellence. As most of you will know, Trip Advisor is a user SPecIAL MemBER SHORT BREAKS led service, where it really is the general public making the judgements. Lakeside Standard Room (sleeping 2) US$169 Candidasa and Jimbaran were awarded their certificates thanks to the overwhelmingly positive reviews they have received from….well, you, Lakeside Standard Room (sleeping 4) US$269 our members and the people that have enjoyed staying at both resorts! Family Apartment (sleeping 6) Meanwhile, our Bali resorts, Royal Bali Beach Clubs Candidasa and Jimbaran US$319 have both been honoured by RCI with Gold Crowns in recognition of their Interested in the above offers / Unsure of your outstanding facilities and services. Visa requirements. Contact your Odyssey servicing office today… LIMITED SPACE SO BOOK NOW T : +62 (0) 361 762 131 E : [email protected] Skype : ODYSSEY_Bali Terms & Conditions: • This offer is valid for accommodation before the end of Feb 2013 • Reservations must be confirmed before the end of Dec 2012 • Short Breaks up to a maximum of five nights (Sunday to Friday) • Monies paid against this offer are non-refundable • Bookings are non-cancellable and non re-bookable • All membership fees must be paid to date meet the royal family Introducing some of the key people that make your holidays tick… incredible healers Esperanca Patricio soulful encounters MD INDIA, VP Karma Royal Group Incredible Healers. Soulful Encounters. Karma Spa offers a full spectrum of holistic experiences I have been a core member of the Karma Royal Group family including healing massage curatives, gloss & since the company’s inception - a two-decade tenure! During glamour facials, men’s treatments, spa rituals that time, I have worked across our Asia network of resorts, and wellness weekends. Karma’s spa team from Bombay to Bali, Singapore to Sri Lanka. And as many of bodyworkers train year-round with medical of you will know, India has long been my professional and practitioners, yoga experts & healers to deliver personal home - I spent seven years here before a stint in Bali. deeply therapeutic experiences. Karma Spa It is wonderful to be back. treatments are made from ingredients sourced from ethical farmers & growers. From the outset with Karma, I looked after business administration and customer services - a demanding role which I thoroughly enjoyed thanks to the constant interaction with members. I have T : +62 (0)361 762131 established new offices in a number of locations, training staff and establishing procedures. E : [email protected] Over the years, I have come to be relied upon by both internal staff and members - all of whom I encourage to approach me with any issue they may have so that I can help to resolve it. Although my www.karmaspas.com current role is extremely demanding and strategic, I like to retain this very personal approach to my work, my colleagues and clients. Together with a huge range of global holiday experiences and the highest service standards, it is this Kamran SiddiQUI personal approach that I believe makes KRG stand out. GM, RGBC at MonteRio, GOA I come from a beautiful little city in the foothills of CHRIS DIPLOCK the Himalayas called Dehra AREA GENERAL MANAGER, INDIA Dun. Unlike most of my peers who end up joining I joined Karma Royal Group in as Area General Manager for all Indian resorts. I’ve had the military, I was drawn to hospitality from a young 2007 in the Sales & Marketing an interesting and varied career, working extensively age. After graduating in Hotel Management at a Department at Haathi Mahal, in food retail for major brands like Sainsbury’s and college in Goa, I began my career in front office, before relocating to our Tesco as well as running my own F&B franchise and a working my way up the hierarchy with acclaimed Monte Rio resort, where country pub with my French wife, Claire. After a two hotel brands like Ramada and Holiday Inn. But it I remained as GM for 3 years. I was subsequently year stint in Cyprus, once again focusing on senior was with the holiday membership club sector that I promoted to General Manager of Karma Samui in F&B management, I made the best decision in my life, really found my calling and my GM role with RGBC Thailand after which I took up a Head Office posting in which was to move to India to join the Karma Royal Monterio has afforded me the best experiences of Bali. I returned enthusiastically to India in January 2012 Group! my career, with a great team to work with. ANURAG KHANNA SAVIO FERNANDES SUKHJENDER PAL SINGH GM, RATAN HAVELI, JAIPUR GM, RGBC at BENAULIM, GOA GM RHC at SHIMLA I was in born Port Blair, an I was born in November Savio Fernandes, GM of Royal island in the Bay of Bengal. 1975, in Jaipur, where I grew Goan Beach Club Benaulim, After completing my Diploma up, going to the St. Xavier has a wealth of experience in hotel management in 1993, School in Jaipur. I started in the hospitality industry. He I joined ‘The Old Anchor’ as an my career in the automobile graduated in Mumbai and F&B trainee and then senior business before shifting into the service industry.