Taj bonanza for IATO members

Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) unveils a series of strategic initiatives to enhance collaboration between the hospitality and tourism sectors. The announcements, made by the MD & CEO, Puneet Chhatwal, underscore IHCL’s commitment to driving growth and innovation, ensuring a unified approach that benefits both sectors and enhances the overall experience for travellers.

Janice Alyosius

Puneet Chhatwal, Managing Director and CEO, Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL), was honoured with the Hall of Fame award at the 39th IATO Annual Convention, held recently at the Taj Lakefront in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. In his opening speech, Chhatwal emphasised the pride and honour IHCL takes in hosting the event at their property. “We are deeply humbled as Taj has been recognised as India’s Strongest Brand across sectors for the fourth time, and as the World’s Strongest Hotel Brand for the third time. This exceptional achievement underscores our century-old legacy of excellence, innovation, and pioneering spirit. It is a true reflection of the enduring trust of our guests and the unwavering dedication of our colleagues. We remain committed to setting global benchmarks and showcasing Indian hospitality to the world,” he said.

Chhatwal also emphasised the need for unity within the industry. He recalled how the hospitality sector was challenged to “think a little differently” by Homa Mistry (CEO of Trail Blazer Tours India) in one of the panel discussions at the previous IATO Annual Convention, which led to the creation of a code allowing direct bookings, a practice that has since become widely adopted. “The rest is history because others followed, and it’s still working well today,” Chhatwal noted.

Chhatwal unveiled five new initiatives on the occasion, aimed at benefiting members of the IATO. He said IHCL will increase commission from 10 per cent to 12.5 per cent for IATO members. Additionally, Chhatwal introduced inclusive rates. “The rates will no longer be on the European Plan (EP) but on the Continental Plan (CP), which means they will be inclusive of breakfast,” he said.

To provide greater flexibility for IATO members, Chhatwal said, “At Indian Hotels, we will allow you to cancel FITs in business hotels with 48-hour notice, and for leisure and palace hotels with 7-day notice.”

He also announced an exclusive travel discount for IATO members, offering a 25 per cent rebate on the best available rate at IHCL properties worldwide. “My only request is that nobody should misuse this; please use it for yourselves only,” he emphasised.

Lastly, Chhatwal pledged to boost inbound tourism, announcing a significant commitment of `20 crore over the next three years. “We are committing to spending `20 crore over the next three years on various international events, including the ATM in Dubai, WTM in London, and IMEX in Frankfurt, among others. We will host cocktail evenings where you can also invite your guests—something we have always done, but now we will execute it in a more organised manner to promote inbound tourism to India,” he said.

He also highlighted IHCL’s recent investments in the state mentioning the renovation of the Taj Usha Kiran Palace, Gwalior, and the upgrade of the Taj Lakefront, Bhopal from Vivanta to Taj. “We are doing great, and I think very soon we will have over 25 hotels in operation in Madhya Pradesh,” he said.