TravTalk India Online Magazine
IHCL is actively expanding its hotel presence in India, with a focus on both new and existing markets. It has recently opened hotels in Jaipur, Jammu, Kolkata and Kerala, and have upcoming openings in Mumbai. The hotel chain has a strong pipeline of 80 hotels, with plans to enter new destinations and expand its brand portfolio.
TT Bureau
Keeping a tab on the demand for hotels across the country, IHCL is on an expansion spree and is tapping new markets as well as growing in existing ones. Sharing details on upcoming properties, Parveen Chander Kumar, Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing, IHCL, said, “Unlocking the true potential of India’s numerous destinations is reflected in IHCL’s recent signings and openings of new hotels. Jaipur saw the addition of Sawai Man Mahal, a heritage-palace celebrating the best of Rajputana heritage and Taj Amer with a façade reminiscent of Amer Fort. From a stylish Vivanta in Jammu to SeleQtions-branded hotels—Baragarh Resort & Spa in Manali and Jaagir Manor at Dudhwa National Park and Norbu The Montanna in Dharmshala— IHCL offers distinct experiences in North India. With glimpses of snow-topped Kanchenjunga at Guras Kutir, Gangtok, to Taal Kutir Convention Centre, IHCL is expanding its footprint in the East of India.
Tertiary markets in focus When it comes to luxury brands expanding in tertiary markets, especially the Northeast, IHCL is the first mover. “IHCL’s brandscape lends itself to scaling in a heterogenous market such as India. With a strong pipeline of 80 hotels, we will enter new destinations and scale our brands. Our pipeline has a good representation of Tier II & III cities including a Taj planned in cities such as Patna, Puri, Dehradun and Raipur. IHCL SeleQtions in cities such as Bhubaneswar, Bekal, Tirupati, Kanpur, Rajkot and Munnar, among others, Vivanta in Haridwar, Tawang, Manipal, Jammu, Nashik and Lucknow, among others and Ginger in Srinagar, Nagpur, Coimbatore, Agra and Durgapur, among others,” Parveen averred. Claiming that IHCL is committed to the Northeast of India, he informed, “IHCL has signed and is opening a slew of hotels in the region. The company has five hotels in Assam, including three under development. We are present in Tripura, Agartala, with a Ginger-branded hotel. Vivanta Shillong in Meghalaya opened last year. In Sikkim, we launched Vivanta Pakyong and this will be followed by the opening of Taj Guras Kutir Resort & Spa and a Ginger in Gangtok this month.” Weddings galore
According to Parveen, IHCL has worked a lot to boost up the wedding segment and that too for a long time. “Taj hotels across the country have been the preferred venues for weddings and celebrations. Timeless Weddings, the brand’s unique wedding proposition has become the benchmark when it comes to memorable, luxurious wedding celebrations for over a century. Our hotels and resorts in unique locations offer themselves as perfect settings for magical, magnificent moments; be it beach weddings, royal palace weddings, or grand weddings in cities. With our global presence, hospitality and attention to detail, we remain market leaders in hosting memorable weddings for generations of families,” he claimed.
Inbound priority
He mentions that India has witnessed a very strong recovery in travel, primarily on domestic demand.
“The resumption of international flights and corporate travel is leading to healthy growth in inbound business,” he added. B2B engagements On engagement with the travel trade, he commented, “IHCL’s dedicated team of professionals manage end-to-end requirements of travel partners in India and overseas.”
