Taj Launches Vacation Brand To Boost Resort Occupancies

Bhisham Mansukhani - Mumbai

With the objective of enhancing its resort occupancies, Taj Leisure Hotels recently launched Taj Holidays, part of its sales initiative to tap the domestic, affluent market that has thus far been vacationing overseas. The packages coupled with attractive airfare options will position resorts with different themes, namely adventure, culture, cuisine and rejuvenation. The resort arm of Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces, wholly-owned by Indian Hotels Company Limited has been investing into the refurbishment of several of its properties towards the launch of the holiday brand.

According to Sandhya Kunjur, general manager, marketing, leisure hotels, IHCL, "Five years ago, we did look at the holiday market but purely from an inbound perspective. We had a very strong inbound season stretching from October to March. The summer season from April through to September, the numbers were not so huge since Taj was not focussing on domestic travellers. We recently looked at this market and identified a niche within that was spending the same proportions on an overseas trip. It took a while to convince this market which had a relatively younger profile. We upgraded our profile in so much as cater to more youth-oriented activities to position ourselves perfectly for the summer holidays traffic." Taj's refurbishment has unfolded across the board in properties in Goa, Rajasthan, Kerala and Agra. A classic example of the changes made, keeping tourism top of mind is the repositioning of the beds in the rooms from the second floor onwards at the Taj property in Agra to give guests a first sight of the eclectic Taj Mahal monument when they wake up. The toll free number that the company launched in October last year will service inquiries for the Taj Holidays brands. The website is also part of the refurbishment to gear up for the Taj Holidays launch.

Prior to launching this brand, Taj used to simply offer summer and winter holiday rates. Now special rates will be formulated for the Taj Holidays brand. Though it was conceptualised in 2001, it is 2005 that the company chose to formalise it. The company expects Taj Holidays to enhance occupancies for IHCL's resort properties in India, Maldives and Sri Lanka on a perennial basis. The Indian vacation market has been brought into the winter fold as well even though the rates are considerably higher.

"Off late, Taj has witnessed the ratio of foreigners to Indians in the winter season dip from 85 to 15, to 65 to 35. Conversely, in the summer season, the ratio of Indians to foreigners has also dipped over the last three years," Kunjur said. Taj has posted leisure sales teams at all its major city hotels that work closely with travel agents.