VLCC ventures into global wellness tourism with exclusive tie-up with Minor Hotels

2024-10-25 11:53:05 Business

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New Delhi, October 15, 2019: Leading Wellness & Beauty services and products brand, VLCC has entered into an exclusive partnership with Minor Hotels, amongst the largest hospitality and leisure conglomerates in the world, to pioneer the concept of wellness in its truest form. As part of the association, VLCC will develop and operate therapeutic wellness & beauty centres, both residential as well as standalone, at hotel and resort properties owned, managed and invested in by Minor Group, beginning with its signature and upscale 70 acre, 196-room beach-side property, Avani+ Hua Hin Resort in Thailand, which is planned to be operational by the first quarter of next financial year.

Minor, which is a hotel owner, operator and investor with a portfolio of 523 hotels and resorts under the Anantara, AVANI, Oaks, Tivoli, NH Collection, NH, nhow, Elewana, Marriott, Four Seasons, St. Regis, Radisson Blu and Minor International brands in 53 countries across the Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Africa, the Indian Ocean, Europe, and the Americas, has for the first time into entered an exclusive partnership with a Wellness & Beauty services provider.

Commenting on the association and its foray into wellness tourism, VLCC Group Chairman, Mr. Mukesh Luthra, said, ?VLCC has always believed in transforming lives. With our 30-year legacy of technical expertise, performance and operational excellence in the wellness & beauty services and products domain, it was only a matter of time for us to venture into the fast-growing global wellness tourism sector. In Minor International, we have found a very able ally to build this space within a very conducive ecosystem. This partnership is an ideal amalgamation of world class infrastructure provided by Minor International and best-in-class wellness & beauty domain expertise brought by VLCC.?

Sharing his thoughts on the association with VLCC, Mr. William E. Heinecke, Chairman and Founder of Minor International, owning company of Avani Hotels & Resorts said, ?Our vision is to be a leader in delivering exceptional experiences that anticipate and satisfy our customers? aspirations. With VLCC, we believe we have found the right partner to build what we see as a transformational business offering with Avani+ Hua Hin. This wellness centre will be reflective of our deep understanding of what our customers deserve while providing optimal hotel facilities our guests can enjoy before, during and after wellness and medi-spa treatments.?

Adding to this, Mr. Javier Pardo, Vice President of Operations for Avani Hotels & Resorts said, ?The Avani brand offers an upbeat service culture that attracts a growing group of discerning world travellers whose priorities are service, style and value. Avani+ Hua Hin perfectly aligns the balance between service and privacy, providing the ultimate hotel facility for VLCC to operate from. The introduction of the VLCC facility at Avani+ Hua Hin provides stylish stay where guests can enjoy downtime post-treatment amongst 3 to 21-night residential packages.?

The VLCC Wellness Centres at Minor?s properties, starting with Avani+ Hua Hin, will offer solutions for lifestyle related medical and chronic health issues, detoxification therapies, spa and beauty treatments for body, skin and hair as well as aesthetic dermatology treatments. The programmes will combine modern medical investigations with complementary and alternative medicine, customised diets and physical activity regimen to deliver holistic results. All services and meals under these programmes will be specifically curated and delivered to ensure a measurable difference to each guest?s health and beauty status.

Some of the most experienced practitioners ranging from medical specialists, dermatologists, nutritionists, physiotherapists, fitness trainers and ayurveda specialists to cosmetologists will collaborate to cater to each guest?s specific needs and requirements, deploying a highly scientific and bespoke methodology. The medical improvement and wellness enhancement programmes will focus on diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and the gut ecosystem.

The global wellness economy was valued at $4.2 trillion in 2017* and with the International wellness tourist spending 53 per cent more than the average International tourist, the potential of wellness tourism is self-evident. With the emphasis on preventive healthcare and leading a healthy lifestyle rising, global wellness tourism ? valued at US$ 639 billion in 2017 ? is the bedrock of this evolution. Both partners recognize this potential and are expecting the business from this partnership to contribute significantly to their revenue mix in the coming years.

About VLCC

Founded by Mrs. Vandana Luthra as a beauty and slimming services centre in 1989, VLCC is today widely recognized for its comprehensive portfolio of beauty and wellness products and services and also enjoys a high level of consumer trust. The VLCC Group?s operations currently span 340+ locations in over 165 cities and 14 countries across South Asia, South East Asia, the GCC Region, and East Africa. VLCC manages one of the largest chains of Slimming, Beauty & Fitness centers across Asia; operates one of Asia?s largest networks of vocational education academies in Beauty & Nutrition; and, manufactures in Switzerland and the company?s cGMP-certified plants in India and Singapore, a comprehensive range of skin care, hair-care and body-care products as well as nutraceuticals under the VLCC Natural Sciences?, Skin MTX?, BelleWave?, VLCC Slimmer?s?, VLCC Shape Up?, Specifix? and VLCC Wellscience? brands, which are not only used as consumables in treatments and therapies at all VLCC Wellness Centers globally but are also retailed through over 250,000 retail outlets and beauty salons across Asia and Africa.

About Minor International

Minor International is a global company focused on three core businesses: hospitality, restaurants and lifestyle brands distribution. It is a hotel owner, operator and investor with a portfolio of 523 hotels under the Anantara, AVANI, Oaks, Tivoli, NH Collection, NH, nhow, Elewana, Marriott, Four Seasons, St. Regis, Radisson Blu and Minor International brands in 53 countries across Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Africa, the Indian Ocean, Europe, South and North America. It is also one of Asia?s largest restaurant companies with over 2,200 outlets system-wide in 27 countries under The Pizza Company, Swensen?s, Sizzler, Dairy Queen, Burger King, Thai Express, The Coffee Club, Riverside and Benihana brands. Minor is one of Thailand?s largest distributors of lifestyle brands and contract manufacturers. Its brands include Anello, Bodum, Bossini, Brooks Brothers, Charles & Keith, Esprit, Etam, Joseph Joseph, OVS, Radley, Save My Bag, Zwilling J.A. Henckels and Minor Smart Kids. For more information, please visit www.minor.com.

About Avani Hotels & Resorts

Launched in response to a growing global group of discerning world travellers whose priorities are service, style and value, Avani Hotels & Resorts is a contemporary, upbeat brand that delivers the perfect balance. With a focus on good sleep, effective social spaces, locally sourced sustenance and genuine service. Avani welcomes guests to over 20 properties in Thailand, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Seychelles, Mozambique, Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, Zambia, the United Arab Emirates, Portugal, Australia, New Zealand and Laos, with a pipeline of further openings in Australia, Asia, Indian Ocean and the Middle East. Avani is part of the DISCOVERY loyalty programme.