
Guwahati gears up for luxury boom: 11 five-star hotels, Marriott projects break ground
Sarma remarked that the construction of such state-of-the-art infrastructure represents a significant progression in Assam's hotel, hospitality, and tourism industries.
He stated that the project holds the potential to influence the socio-economic landscape of the state in a substantive manner. He said that Assam has enjoyed a relatively peaceful environment over the past four years and underscored the importance of such stability in facilitating long-term development. Emphasising the inter-relationship between industrial expansion and economic stability, he noted its role in shaping the aspirations of younger generations.
Referring to the Advantage Assam 2.0 Summit, the Chief Minister reiterated its intent to develop a favourable climate for investment in the state. In response to this initiative, Jonali Constructions Private Limited committed to undertake the development of two hotel properties in proximity to the Guwahati Airport. With preparatory work now complete, he announced the commencement of construction. The Guwahati Marriott Resort and Spa, he stated, would feature a total of 196 rooms, while Fairfield by Marriott Guwahati would comprise 288 rooms.
In addition to both underground and open parking facilities, the properties would include ballroom space and open lawn areas, designed to accommodate large events. The projected timeline for completion is estimated at thirty-six to forty-eight months, he added.He expressed confidence that the resort's location, given its proximity to the airport, would attract both domestic and international visitors. He further suggested that tourists may extend their visits to include sites such as Kaziranga, Manas, and Kamakhya. He stated that a rise in visitor expenditure would, in turn, positively influence Assam's gross domestic product.Sarma highlighted the increasing popularity of destination weddings.
With reference to the hotel project, he observed that approximately 500 families stand to benefit from its implementation, either directly or indirectly. He anticipated that the surrounding area would, in time, witness heightened economic activity.
Sarma stated in X, 'With 11 five-star hotels in the pipeline, Guwahati is becoming a hub for global hospitality chains who are seizing the opportunity to cater to the huge demand in the region. All of this has gained momentum post #AdvantageAssam2.'
Mukesh Ambani-owned Reliance Industries has announced to invest Rs 50,000 crore in the state over the next five years. The group has announced plans to build a seven-star Oberoi hotel.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Business Upturn
6 hours ago
- Business Upturn
Nazara Technologies acquires Smaaash Entertainment, invests Rs 126 crore
By Aditya Bhagchandani Published on June 7, 2025, 16:23 IST Nazara Technologies Limited has officially acquired Smaaash Entertainment Private Limited, marking a strategic expansion in the gaming and entertainment space. The development follows the approval of Nazara's resolution plan by the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), Mumbai Bench. As part of the deal, Nazara has infused Rs 10 crore in equity to acquire 100% of Smaaash's shareholding, making it a wholly owned subsidiary. Additionally, the company extended an unsecured inter-corporate loan of Rs 116 crore to Smaaash for settling creditor dues, bringing the total investment to Rs 126 crore. Smaaash, known for its immersive gaming and entertainment centres across India, reported revenue of Rs 112.34 crore in FY24. The acquisition, completed on June 6, 2025, aligns with Nazara's strategy of inorganic growth in the gaming sector. The company also stated that the acquisition was not a related party transaction and all required regulatory approvals were obtained. Nazara now has full control over Smaaash's operations, which include popular entertainment offerings such as bowling, go-karting, and other gaming formats across 11 locations in India. The move is expected to strengthen Nazara's presence in the experiential gaming domain. Aditya Bhagchandani serves as the Senior Editor and Writer at Business Upturn, where he leads coverage across the Business, Finance, Corporate, and Stock Market segments. With a keen eye for detail and a commitment to journalistic integrity, he not only contributes insightful articles but also oversees editorial direction for the reporting team.


Business Upturn
10 hours ago
- Business Upturn
Mukesh Ambani donates Rs 151 crore to alma mater ICT in honour of Professor MM Sharma
By Aditya Bhagchandani Published on June 7, 2025, 12:32 IST Mukesh Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director of Reliance Industries, has announced an unconditional grant of Rs 151 crore to the Institute of Chemical Technology (ICT), Mumbai—his alma mater—during a special event commemorating the biography launch of Professor MM Sharma titled 'Divine Scientist' . Ambani, who studied at the institute in the 1970s when it was known as UDCT (University Department of Chemical Technology), spent over three hours at the campus, reflecting on the impact of his very first lecture by Prof. Sharma. He described Prof. Sharma as a key figure who quietly shaped India's economic reforms by advocating for the dismantling of the license-permit raj to promote scale and global competitiveness in Indian industry. Comparing Prof. Sharma to his father, Dhirubhai Ambani, Mukesh said both visionaries believed in the transformative power of science, technology, and private entrepreneurship. 'These two bold visionaries believed that science and technology, in alliance with private entrepreneurship, would open the floodgates of prosperity,' he stated. Referring to Prof. Sharma as a Rashtra Guru or 'Guru of Bharat,' Ambani made the donation as a form of 'Guru Dakshina', acting on the professor's personal request. 'He told me, 'Mukesh you have to do something big for ICT,' and I am very pleased to announce that,' Ambani said. Aditya Bhagchandani serves as the Senior Editor and Writer at Business Upturn, where he leads coverage across the Business, Finance, Corporate, and Stock Market segments. With a keen eye for detail and a commitment to journalistic integrity, he not only contributes insightful articles but also oversees editorial direction for the reporting team.


Business of Fashion
14 hours ago
- Business of Fashion
Fashion's Musical Chairs Ends — With Men in Almost Every Seat.
LOS ANGELES — This week, with the confirmation from LVMH on Monday that Jonathan Anderson is taking over creative direction of the women's, men's and haute couture collections at Dior, all of the empty chairs at fashion's top houses have now been filled. The pieces are now in place for the biggest fashion month ever this autumn. Among all the creative reshuffling, three of our industry's most talented designers have ended up with three of the biggest jobs at a critical time when luxury is facing a global downturn. In addition to Anderson's new role at LVMH-owned Dior, Demna is gearing up for his debut at Gucci, which will come after his final couture show for Balenciaga in July, and Matthieu Blazy is now installed at Chanel. That most of the big design roles have been filled by men has been a big topic in fashion of late. Save for Sarah Burton at Givenchy, Chemena Kamali at Chloé, Veronica Leoni at Calvin Klein Collection, Louise Trotter at Bottega Veneta and Silvia Venturini Fendi at Fendi, all of the big jobs in fashion are occupied by men. Loewe, Balenciaga, Jil Sander, Celine and Maison Margiela have also appointed men as creative directors. On Thursday, I popped into Neiman Marcus in Los Angeles, to take the temperature of what all of these changes mean. The store was a ghost town with nary a customer in sight. Admittedly, it was only 10:30 a.m. — a bit early for a splurge, but the countless displays shilling luxury fashion and leather goods for 'up to 50 percent off' spoke volumes about the state of the business today. As I was examining the Burberry wares on the ground floor (lots of trench coats and accessories emphasising the Burberry check), one of the store's employees and a dedicated BoF reader approached me to say hello. I asked how business was doing and he simply motioned around the shop-in-shops by Dior, Chanel, Bottega Veneta and Loewe and said all of this is about to change. Customers (and Neiman Marcus sales associates) are mostly in wait-and-see mode, he said, as the upcoming fashion season will bring a lot of creative transformation. This is long overdue. Gucci is the lynchpin of the Kering group, where sales have nosedived. Revenues at Kering's flagship brand plummeted by 23 percent in 2024 to €7.7 billion ($8.8 billion), down from €9.9 billion in 2023. The decline worsened in Q1 2025, with a 25 percent drop year on year. The group's share price has tumbled by more than 60 percent over the last two years. Demna (Getty Images) When Kering executives announced in March that Demna would move from Balenciaga to Gucci in July, luxury market analysts and industry watchers scratched their heads. But I remain convinced that if Demna — one of the most gifted and thoughtful designers working fashion — is able to re-imagine Gucci and move on from his once ultra-popular Balenciaga aesthetic, this could be a very smart move because it simultaneously gives Demna a new creative challenge while breathing new life into Gucci, which accounts for more than 60 percent of Kering's profits. Then there's Chanel, where Matthieu Blazy is in the hot seat. Known for his incredibly creative, globally inspired, craft-focused fashion shows at Bottega Veneta, Blazy has been tasked with upping Chanel's fashion quotient. With the most well-defined codes of any luxury brand, as well as a slew of iconic products (think quilted leather flap bags like the 2.55, bouclé tweed suits and bi-colour patent shoes), the brand is pretty resilient even in times of trouble. Matthieu Blazy speaking at BoF Voices in 2023. (Getty Images) But without a strong fashion direction, Chanel's cultural relevance has waned since the passing of Karl Lagerfeld in 2019. Meanwhile, revenues fell by $1 billion in 2024, down 4.3 percent year on year, as Chanel continued to raise prices by an average of 59 percent between 2020 and 2023, leading customers to question the value of Chanel's products and pull back from the brand's core leather goods offering. Executives are counting on Blazy to bring back Chanel's fashion magic while they think about how to recalibrate their pricing strategy. It's a similar story at Dior, where prices increased by an average of 53 percent over the same period. LVMH does not break out individual brand performance, but said revenues declined by 'slightly more' than the average 5 percent decline in the group's fashion and leather goods division in the first quarter of 2025. In an in-depth interview announcing Anderson's appointment, Delphine Arnault agreed with me that pricing is a big issue to address. For now, she is counting on Anderson's creativity and a focus on customer experience in Dior's upcoming megastores in Los Angeles and New York, to help turn things around. Jonathan Anderson speaking at BoF Voices in 2023. (Getty Images) As I was walking the floor of Neiman Marcus it was hard not to note that with the departures of Maria Grazia Chiuri at Dior and Virginie Viard at Chanel, men are back in charge. While pricing and fashion oomph may have been challenges under their tenures, Chiuri and Viard both oversaw an unprecedented expansion of these megabrands post-Covid, leaving me wondering if what might be gained in fashion relevance could lead to a lack of the connection these female designers were able to foster with their female customers. I've been asking some industry insiders why there is such a paucity of women at the helm of the big brands. One person posited that it's because all of the number two designers — the first go-to when brands are looking to appoint a new creative director — are also mostly men. Seems like that old adage that we tend to pick people who look like us holds true in fashion as well. If this is indeed the case, the change we need to see regarding women in the ranks of the industry's top creative positions needs to start with some of these men appointing more women as their number two. Fine. But there has to be more to it than just this explanation. Truly understanding (and valuing) how women designers connect differently to their customers — and giving them the opportunities to demonstrate this — must also be part of the change. Otherwise, the reign of men in top jobs is set to continue. Imran Amed, Founder and Editor in Chief P.S. Please join us next Monday, June 9 and Tuesday, June 10 for The Business of Beauty Global Forum 2025 livestream with speakers including Hailey Rhode Bieber and Tracee Ellis Ross. Register now. Below are my top picks from our analysis on fashion, luxury and beauty this week: 1. Under Pressure: Can Fashion's Sustainability Efforts Survive? With the industry in tariff paralysis and policymakers rolling back regulation, sustainable fashion advocates worry the movement is running out of steam. (Christophe Stache/AFP via Getty Images) 2. Case Study | The New Rules for Getting Acquired. Securing an exit at a desirable valuation has gotten harder for start-ups in recent years. But brands with strong growth strategies and loyal followings can still attract buyers that will maintain their integrity while taking their businesses to the next level, regardless of economic conditions. 3. How to Revive a Sleeping Beauty Watch Brand. A group of investors is reviving the Danish watch company Urban Jürgensen, a 250-year-old name revered by connoisseurs but largely unknown outside that bubble. (Getty Images) 4. Is Nike Finally Winning With Women? With bold marketing, a revamped leadership team under new brand president Amy Montagne and star power from A'ja Wilson, Nike's long-promised women's push is starting to stick. (Courtesy/Courtesy) 5. Beauty's Hottest New Trend: The Founder Buyback. Original influencer Huda Kattan has regained majority ownership of her namesake beauty brand and sent a message to the greater industry: When it's time to course-correct, you need your best driver. (BoF Team) This Weekend on The BoF Podcast (Sporty & Rich) Emily Oberg grew up far away from the fashion world in Calgary, Canada. After moving to New York for a role at the media company Complex, Oberg quickly built her profile as a tastemaker in the streetwear scene. But eventually, she got the entrepreneurial itch and leveraged her experience to turn Sporty & Rich, which started as a mood board on Instagram, into a multi-million-dollar brand with a dedicated community following. On a recent trip to Los Angeles, I had the opportunity to sit down with Emily to reflect on her unconventional path into fashion, how she made strategic business choices to grow her business, and the significance of world-building in creating an aspirational lifestyle brand. To receive this email in your inbox each Saturday, sign up to The Daily Digest newsletter for agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice that you won't find anywhere else.