Date:15/03/2005 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2005/03/15/stories/2005031502350400.htm

Back Taj bid to garner chunk of holidaymakers

Our Bureau

"The company has tied-up with all the major airlines and will offer competitive prices for all-inclusive packages for the season."

A Taj property at Willington Island.

Pune , March 14

HOSPITALITY industry major Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces is gearing up to target the middle and upper middle class people with a new range of offerings. The group will leverage its wide range of properties across different locations, offering a variety of experiences in discovering the cultural heritage of the country, adventure sports and local cuisine to pull in holiday makers this summer, Ms Sandhya Kunjur, General Manager, Marketing, Taj Leisure Hotels, told Business Line here.

The hotel, which conducted a multi-city study on what holiday makers look forward to on their vacations, is now ready with a range of offerings that will help de-stress guests, give them fun times to spend with family and allow them to indulge in a favourite holiday during the stay at a Taj Leisure hotel property, Ms Kunjur said.

The hotel is all set to launch a major advertising and promotional campaign for `the Taj Holidays' brand and will target clients from key cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, Ahmedabad and Bangalore, among others.

With Indians heading for destinations such as Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand for their vacations, thanks to attractive, affordable packages available at these destinations players in the domestic market will have to compete for a share of holidaymakers this season. The hotel has tied-up with all the major airlines and will offer competitive prices for `all-inclusive' packages for the season, Ms Kunjur said, adding that lower entry-level price points will now bring in larger audience as potential business.

Sixty five per cent of the business for Taj Leisure Hotels comes from the summer `family holiday' packages and the hotel is expecting the new packages to grow this by an additional 10-12 per cent. Taj Leisure Hotels accounts for 25-30 per cent of the total Taj group's revenues.

The hotel is now gearing up to open its first property in Bhutan in collaboration with a local partner. The 58-room Taj Bhutan is set to be launched by September 2005.

Also on the anvil are majestic Falaknuma Palace in Hyderabad and the renovated 98-room Umaid Bhavan in Jodhpur that are expected to be launched in December. The Taj is also promoting the latest entrant to its fold in India, the 120-year-old Usha Kiran Palace, which belongs to the Scindias and is now being run as a luxurious palace hotel managed by Taj.