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Hotel IndustryOrigin
The origin of the hotel/hospitality industry is obscure. However, the Christian
bible cites Christ's birth in the manger of an early inn. Historians know that tabernas
(inns) serviced the travelers on the iters (the roads) of the Roman Empire. Providing
service to the relatively large number of Crusaders between the 11th and 13th centuries
was the responsibility of the Catholic Church, which relied on one of its orders, The
Knights Hospitalers, to deliver those accommodations. Commercial travel in Europe was
an outgrowth of British commerce, which carried over to the American colonies in the
1700's.
Mass travel is a modern phenomenon that emerged after World War II. Mass
tourism continues to grow as political freedom, economic wherewithal, and social
equality spread across the globe. With the large powers at peace and the economic engine
of development running at full steam, international travel and, consequently, the hotel
industry are poised for decades of growth.
Estimates abound as to the importance and size of hotel keeping. Certainly, its economic
contribution is critical to the global economy whether as a service to the business
community or as a destination for tourism development.
Industry OverviewBackground
Prior to the 1980's, the Indian hotel industry was a nascent and slow growing
industry primarily consisting of relatively static, single hotel companies. However, Asiangames in 1982 and the subsequent partial liberalization of the Indian economy generated
tourism interest in India with significant benefits accruing to the hotel and tourism sector
in terms of improved demand patterns. Fortunes of the hotel industry are tied to the
fortunes of tourism and the general business climate in the country which is why the
economic liberalization initiatives implemented since 1991, led to a soaring demand and
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supply gap in the hotel industry. This enabled Indian hotel companies to increase their
ARRs by almost 50% between April 1994 and April 1997 and still enjoy extremely high
occupancies of above 80% for most of this period. During this time Average Room
Realizations (ARRs) of Indian 5 star hotels were comparable to those prevailing in
Singapore and Hong Kong and were among the highest in the region. Also, during this
time there was a noticeable shift in customer mix of 5 star hotels as the share of business
revenues far outweighed revenues from any other segment.
Sector comments
In recent times, any discussion on the hotel industry only veers around the falling
occupancy rates and average room rates and the trying times that the Indian hotel industry
is going through. Also, room supply in the five-star segment has grown by only 3 per cent
over the last five years and consequently this has not been an area of concern in the past
as new capacity additions in the five-star segment in the metro cities have been slow. It is
expected that in the metro cities, after three to four years, the hotel industry is expected to
face major problems on the supply side. However, we would regard these as a long-term
concern.
The slow growth in room supply in the past can be attributed to the high land
costs, long gestation periods, license problems and the scarcity of good locations. The
hotel sector boomed from 1992 to 1996. Led by the lure of easy money and missed
perception that hotels can be a simple business, profitable (especially the five-star
segment) and is easy to get a foreign tie-up prompted many companies in the construction
and real estate business to enter the arena. Since the past two years, almost all major hotel
chains have unveiled plans to expand into the three- and four-star segments in smaller
towns. As the growth in metro cities is getting saturated, hotel chains are looking on to
this segment for future growth.
However, since 1997 political uncertainty and a general economic slowdown
coupled with slackened tourist arrivals have resulted in steadily falling occupancies and
very marginal increases in ARRs. In fact the general trend among hotel companies in
FY97 and FY98 has been to offer heavy discounts in order to attract customers. Thus the
over reliance of Indian five star hotels on the business traveller during the last few years
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has come back to haunt the industry in the wake of depressed business sentiment in the
country.
Nevertheless, the hotel industry has reported impressive earnings and revenue
growth for the year ended March 2001. This was after a slack period in the financial year
2000, when net profits dipped on a negative sales growth. The industry is again headed
for a hit, with the attacks on the world's largest financial centre in the US.
Characteristics
The industry's ups and downs reflect, in part, the limiting characteristics inherent in hotel
keeping.
Perishability:
If the full capacity of the services is not utilized, the service becomes perishable. If a
hotel having an accommodation facility of 100 rooms is able to lease out only 70 rooms
on a particular day, then the remaining 30 rooms or 30% capacity gets perished and can
never be reused. The product is perishable -- a room not sold tonight is lost forever. The
location and product inventory (rooms) are fixed -- they cannot be moved as demand
patterns change. Entry into the business takes large amounts of capital -- creating hugefixed costs that necessitate high occupancies to achieve a break-even level of volume.
Activity is seasonal -- with all the adjunct problems of operating an ebb-and-flow
business.
Variability:
The fact that service quality is difficult to control compounds the marketer's task.
Intangibility alone would not be such a problem in customers could be sure that the
services they were to receive would be just like the successful experiences their
neighbors were so pleased with. But in fact, customers know that services can vary
greatly. Services are performances, often involving the cooperation and skill of several
individuals, and are therefore unlikely to be same every time. This potential variability of
service quality raises the risk faced by the consumer.
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The service provider must find ways to reduce the perceived risk due to variability.
One method is to design services to be as uniform as possible - by training personnel to
follow closely defined procedures, or by automating as many aspects of the services as
possible. The appeal of some service personnel - particularly, the hotel industry- lies in
their spontaneity and flexibility to address individual customer needs. The danger with
too much standardization is that these attributes may be designed right out of the services,
therefore reducing much of their appeal. A second way to deal with perceived risk from
variability is to provide satisfaction guarantees or other assurances that the customer will
not be stuck with a bad result.
Inseparability:
This characteristic is interpreted differently by different service marketing marketers,
but all interpretations point out that special operation problems exist for the firm's
managers. One interpretation of this term is the inseparability of customers from the
service delivery process. In particular, many services require the participation of the
customer in the production process. Unlike goods, which are often produced in a location
far removed from the customer and totally under the control of the manufacturing firm,
service production often requires the presence and active participation of the customer -
and of other customers. Depending upon the skill, attitude, cooperation and so on thatcustomers bring to the service encounter, the results can be good or bad, but in any event
are hard to standardize.
In hotel industry, the customer has to go to the service provider in order to avail the
service. He cannot use the services just by sitting at his residence. Thus hotel industry is
an inseparable service.
Intangibility:
Intangible services are difficult to sell because they cannot be produced and displayed
ahead of time. They are therefore harder to communicate to prospective customers.
Marketers of services can reduce these risks by stressing tangible cues that will convey
reassurance and quality to the prospective customers. These tangible cues range from the
firm's physical facilities to the appearance and demeanor of its staff to the letterhead on
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its stationery to its logo.
In case of hotel industry, the core benefit is getting good food, good boarding and
lodging facilities. The tangible services are those which one can touch and taste. Thus
hotel industry is tangible.
Managing demand:Key Demand driver: Arrivals
13. Tourist arrivals into India have historically followed a seasonal pattern recording
low volumes between February to September and with October to January
typically representing the peak season with high tourist volumes.
14. Tourist arrivals have been recording a growing trend, recording an average
growth of over 7% in the post-liberalization era, primarily driven by an increase
in domestic tourist and foreign business arrivals. FY96 represents a year of
exceptional growth in arrivals.
15. Domestic tourism grew rapidly after 1991 increasing from 81 million in 1992 to
over a 100 million in 1996 representing a growth of over 11%. This is attributable
to rising disposable incomes of the Indian middle class and increasing tourism
awareness generated by the media.
16. In FY96 earnings per tourist increased almost 10% over prior years due to
increase in high yielding business guests. Higher earnings per tourist coupled with
a surge in tourist traffic resulted in an exceptional year for the hotel industry both
in terms of occupancies and growth in revenues.
17. Slowdown in the Indian economy since 1997 as a result of political uncertainty
and the altered pace and direction of economic reforms has had a stagnating effect
on arrivals, especially in the previously fastest growing business segment.18. This falling trend has carried over to FY98. Last quarter of FY98 has witnessed
rapid fall in arrival numbers with the first 2 months of FY99 actually recording
tourist arrivals below the FY95 levels. This trend is further re-enforced by the
economic sanctions imposed on India following the nuclear tests conducted in
Pokhran.
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19. On an all India basis, occupancy rates declined by 15-20% in FY98. In Mumbai
occupancies declined 15-16%; in Delhi by 6-7%; 3-4% in Calcutta; and 1-2% in
Chennai.
20. The soaring tariff levels in this segment have also adversely affected demand for
premium hotels. Tariff levels in the premium segment have grown nearly 50%
between FY94 and FY97.
In wake of depressed business and political sentiment in the country, demand
for premium hotels is not expected to exceed 5% per annum for the next 2-3 years in
most locations.
Managing supply
21. Over 80% of tourist inflows come from New Delhi and Mumbai. Hence, almost
40% of the total hotel room supply is in metros as these are gateways (entry-
point) into India and serve as anchor points for tourists visiting India.
22. Eight cities, namely, Mumbai, Delhi, Calcutta, Madras, Bangalore, Agra, Jaipur
and Goa account for nearly 80% of all premium category rooms in the country.Mumbai and Delhi alone account for about 70% of the total rooms available in
premium segment.
23. Almost 90% of the total rooms in non-metros and important cities have 3 star or
lower ratings.
As of October 1997, about 18500 hotel rooms were available in the premium
segment. Approximately 2600 hotel rooms were added in the premium segment in India
between1990-1997. This meager addition coupled with a robust growth of business
arrivals from 10% in FY91 to 22% in FY96 led to soaring occupancies of over 80% in
the 5 star hotels in major metros. However, with premium segment hotel expansions
planned in major metros, the supply situation is expected to ease in the coming 2-3 years,
as these additional capacities become available. Approximately 6600 new rooms in the
premium segment are expected to be added by 2001. Assuming a scenario where about
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half the number of planned projects are commissioned, supply in the premium hotel
segment in the eight cities is likely to increase by approximately 20% over the next 3
years. Over 65% of these capacity additions will take place in New Delhi and Mumbai
alone
Market Trends
24. With the demand curve in the metros stagnating, smaller towns have emerged as
potential growth areas. Thus, chain hotels like IHCL, EIH and ITCH are better
placed than single-location hotels like BHL and AHL.
25. Luxury, leisure and heritage hotels are concentrated in tourist circuits like Delhi-
Agra-Jaipur, Mysore-Bangalore, Bhubansehwar-Puri-Konark, Jaisalmer-Jodhpur-
Bikaner and Mahabalipuram-Pondicherry.
26. Various MNCs have started entering the Indian hotel industry. Le Meridien plans
to set up 17 hotels in the country. It already has three five-star hotels at Delhi,
Bangalore and Pune; the Mumbai branch was recently inaugurated. The company
also is coming up with more hotels at Goa and Cochin in the next couple of years.
Carlson Restaurant Worldwide, Accord Asia Pacific, Best Western International
and Bass Hotels are the other leading multinational hotel groups in India.
Most players, with the exception of IHCL and EIH, have entered into a marketing tie-up
with major international hotel chains. For example, ITC-Sheraton, Leela-Kempinski and
AHL-Hyatt Regency are well-established collaborations. BHL, too, has a tie-up with the
Inter-Continental Hotels Corporation. The Indian partners gain from the brand following
of the worldwide international chain and get global exposure. International hotel chains
do not stand to lose either. They get an opportunity to test Indian waters without setting
up their own infrastructure.
Quarterly Tourist Arrivals
Season Tourists %
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Apr-June 18
July-Sept 23
Oct-Dec 33
Jan-March 26
Leisure tourist arrivals are seasonal in nature. Because of the climatic conditions, there is
a preference for the winter months. Hence occupancy rates are higher during October-
March than April-September. To encourage tourist arrivals in the off-season period many
hotels offer hefty discounts on room tariff. Incentives given are therefore inversely
related to the level of occupancy rates.
Hefty discounts are also offered to repeat customers such as corporate, airline
crewmembers and tour groups. Discounts can vary between 10-15% for corporate, to as
much as 45-50% for airline crew members. Hence a higher percentage of such guests
lowers the ARR of a hotel.
Business travelers are not seasonal as tourist travelers but they are more prone to
postponing their visits in the event of any disturbance within the country. Therefore, the
business traffic correlates to the economic climate within the country.
The hotel industry is a net foreign exchange earner. In-fact it is the second largest foreign
exchange earner after textiles and garments. Depreciation of the rupee therefore leads to
windfall gains.
Infrastructure facilities in the country have a great bearing on foreign tourist arrivals.
Improved travel facilities with an increase in flight seat capacity, expansion in rail and
road networks will commensurately increase the industry prospects.
Types of Accommodation in IndiaOn The Basis Of Standards:
Like most of the countries in world, India also has hotels divided in different
categories depending on their location, facilities, infrastructure, and amenities provided.
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All the star hotels in India are government approved with continuous control on the
quality of services offered.
Five star hotel
The most luxurious and conveniently located hotels in India are grouped under Five Star
Deluxe Hotel Category. Five Star Deluxe hotels in India are globally competitive in the
quality of service provided, facilities offered, and accommodation options. These hotels
are located primarily in metropolitan cities like New Delhi and Mumbai and major tourist
destinations like Jaipur
Agra, and Goa. These are top of the line hotels located mostly in the big cities. These
hotels provide all the modern facilities for accommodation and recreation matching
international standards in hospitality. Many of these hotels are situated in the Central
Business Districts of the metropolitan cities or near the centers of transportation
providing exceptional value for the business travelers.
Four Star
A rung below five star hotels, these hotels provide all the modern amenities to the
travelers with a limited budget. Quality of the services is almost as high as the five stars
and above categories. These kind of hotels are there for the travelers with a limited
budget or for the places which might not getting the tourist traffic associated with larger
cities.
Three Star Hotels
These are mainly economy class hotels located in the bigger and smaller cities and
catering to the needs of budget travelers. Lesser in amenities and facilities, these hotels
are value for money and gives good accommodation and related services on the reduced
price. Services would be the stripped down version of higher categories of hotels but
sufficient to fulfill your basic needs.
Two Star Hotels
These hotels are most available in the small cities and in particular areas of larger cities.
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Catering to the backpacker tourist traffic, these hotels provide all the basic facilities
needed for general accommodation and offers lowest prices.
One Star Hotels
The hotels with most basic facilities, small number of rooms, and location in the far flung
areas are grouped under One Star Hotel category. These hotels are best when you are
looking for cheapest available accommodation option (apart from camps and hostels).
In a nutshell these are the various requirements according to which a hotel is graded
How Does One Five-Star Hotel Differ FromAnother?
Except for the location and some subtle variations in themes, most hotels under this
category are the same. All are expected to provide luxurious and most modern facilities.
In that case, what is their unique selling proposition (USP)? In this service-oriented
industry, quality of service provided can hardly serve as a USP. Location could, but not
for everybody. A hotel could be close to the airport for instance. Like The Leela in India.
Or it could be located in a commercial area like The Oberoi or The Taj, both in Mumbai.
Generally speaking, there is very little difference between one five-star hotel and another.
International consultant Stephen Rushmore who has visited around 6,000 hotels in his
career vouches for it.
Overseas, five-star hoteliers try to differentiate their services by adopting various
concepts like heritage, Disney world or environment friendly hotels to name a few. But,
in India very few five-star hotels boast of any such difference.
One such hotel that does is The Orchid. Set up barely a couple of years ago it has created
a name for itself by being a pioneer in the field of environment friendliness. The hotel
that is situated in the vicinity of the Mumbai domestic airport is promoting itself as an
ecotel, or an eco-friendly hotel.
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This concept has helped it achieve the ECOTEL certification for demonstrating a high
level of environmental sensitivity in areas of solid waste management, energy efficiency,
water conservation, community involvement and employee education
On The Basis Of Nature:
Heritage Hotels
Heritage hotels in India are best if you are looking for sheer elegance, luxury, and royal
treatment. They are not just another accommodation options but tourist attractions in
themselves. Exquisitely designed and decorated, meticulously preserved, high standards
of service, and ethnic cultural motifs helps the tourists get the complete experience of an
India that otherwise exists only in the history books.
e.g. The Lake Palace Hotel, Udaipur
Beach Resorts Hotels
Peninsular India bounded by Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, Indian Ocean and the two
emerald archipelagos of Lakshwadeep and Andaman and Nicobar have a long coastline
of around 7500 km, offering an amazing array of beaches, some popular, some not so
well known.
Wildlife Resort Hotels
A wildlife tour is incomplete if you dont actually live in a forest for a few days. Imagine
living in a rest house or a tent the midst of the dense wilderness, and waking up to the
twittering of birds, or maybe the roar of a lion! Day trips alone are certainly not enough
to show you the true majesty of the wild, so why not try this too?
Government Approved Hotels
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These are the hotels, which might not have applied for star categorization or small
enough to find them in the list. Many of the wildlife resorts, lodges, and hostels are
government approved providing a minimum level of accommodation facilities at far off
places.
Guest houses
These provide the minimum facility of food &beverages along with accommodation. The
standard of accommodation is not as good as a hotel. The menu offered is not as
elaborate as a hotel or similar establishments. Services are not very professional or
specialized. Expenses are very much less in comparison to the above mentioned other
establishments. Generally people who cant afford the expenses or the luxuries of higher-
class establishments make use of these facilities.
Dormitories
Dormitories mean a building containing one or more accommodation units and may
contain shared kitchen facilities, for use by students enrolled at a post secondary
institution. Dormitories are set up to offer a good environment for studying, and to
experience independent citizen life. The dormitory rooms are furnished with beds, study
tables, chairs, washstands, and telephones. Further, dormitories are equipped with
lounges, laundry rooms, and kitchenettes. Students, therefore, can start studying only ifthey bring their personal belongings. A shared building (Life Center) in each area of the
dormitories include a restaurant, public bath, shops, barber shop, and beauty salon.
Holiday Villages
Holiday villages are usually large, self-contained resorts and ideal for people who want a
lively holiday with children's clubs, organized activities and evening entertainments laid
on.Many holiday villages offer children's clubs, run by qualified English speaking staff,
for babies through to late teens. These are invaluable for families, as they not only givechildren a chance to meet new friends and have fun, but also give adults some time off
too.However, though standards are improving markedly, somehow this is never a really
smart option. Accommodation, unless rated at least four or five stars, can be cramped for
example. As Per Architectural Design:
I) Palace Hotels These hotels are built to specifically designed so as to
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resemble royal palaces. Eg.:- The Taj Mahal Bombay.
II) Executive Hotels These rooms have an office like functional appearance. They
also have the basic office accessories and equipment.
III) Commercial Hotels These feature luxurious surroundings and the modern sky
scraper structure to create a classy effect.
IV) Atrium Hotels The architecture of these buildings resemble a hollow square
with all the guest rooms overlooking the central lobby. Natural light is supplied by the
sky roof. Eg.:- The Oberoi, The Marine Plaza.
V) Hotels in Mixed use Development These are hotels in buildings which also
encompass shopping malls, office and apartment complexes or theatres. Eg.:- Hotel
Aurora Towers, Pune.
VI) Adaptive Reuse Hotels These are hotels previously designed for other
purposes and now generated for hotel use. Eg.:- Lake Palace, Udaipur.
VII) Tower Hotels In certain cities and beach resorts the top floors of high rise
buildings are devoted to 5Star service plus accommodation often served by a private
elevator.
VIII) Cabanas, Villas and Bungalows These are found at resorts as free
standing units which form a part of the resort complex. These are self sustained
individual units. Eg.:- Taj Holiday village, Goa The Leela Beach Resort, Goa.
IX) Lodges These are present at ski or country resorts featuring stone or wood fire
places.
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X) Inns/ Auberges These suggest small and quaint pre 20th century architecture.
XI) Landmark restoration properties/ Heritage Properties These are
famous hotels beyond an established age restored and still in use.
XII) Hospices/ Missions These are older than inns, constructed at passes and
along transportation routes usually by religious orders and missionaries.
XIII) Mansion Hotels/ Manors/ Country houses These are converted put
homes and estates of significant architecture of the early 20 th century mainly in England.
According to Size:
In general the size of the hotel plays a critical role in the style and extent of guest
services. As a general rule, smaller hotels are able to offer a more personalized service
where as larger hotels may offer a wider range of services as a result of a greater
profitable room base and economy of scale.
Given below are the International rankings
27. 1 to 150 Rooms Small
28. 151 to 350 Rooms Small
29. 351 to 700 Rooms
30. 701 to 1400 Rooms
31. 1401 to 5503 Rooms
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FHRAI Hotel Survey: The Industrys Barometer
The Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India commissioned an annual
Indian hotel industry survey, which brings together the industrys key statistics for the
year 2000-2001. Conducted by HVS International, the recently released Indian Hotel
Industry Survey 2000-2001 covers data from over 1,103 member hotels covering 59,330
rooms across 19 cities in India. According to B K Gupta, president, FHRAI, the survey
covered a vast area including facilities, manpower and operational performances
integrating all aspects of the hospitality industry.
The survey indicates an upswing in occupancy levels in the year 2000-2001. Having
decreased consecutively for the last three years, the all India average occupancy per hotelincreased by four percentage points to 55.6 per cent in this year. All India average room
rates on the other hand, decreased slightly by 3.6 per cent from Rs 2,123 last year to Rs
2,046 in 2000-01. Compared to the 16 per cent decline in average rates the year before,
hotels in this year were able to generate higher occupancy levels without steep discounts
on room rates.
According to HVS International, chain affiliated hotels (branded) - which constituted 12
per cent of the respondents - had a lower occupancy level (48.4 per cent) and a higher
average room rate (Rs 3,459) as compared to independent hotels, which had a higher
occupancy (57.5 per cent) with a lower average rate (Rs 1,308). This is partly because all
chain-affiliated hotels are in the higher star category having higher rack rates.
For the first time, trends in payroll and related expenses were analysed and reflected in
the report. The all India average for payroll and related expenses as a percentage of total
revenue was 18.2 per cent as compared to 32.5 per cent for full service hotels and 24.3
per cent for limited service hotels in the United States. Heritage hotels had the highest
payroll expense at 22.7 per cent of total revenue. Energy costs in India for hotels remain
very high at nearly 12 per cent of total revenue.
Navjit Ahluwalia, senior associate, HVS International, indicates that despite decreasing
yields and increasing operating costs, the all India average net income as a percentage of
total revenue decreased only marginally, standing at 27.2 per cent as compared to 28 per
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cent the previous year.
Chennai was the market occupancy leader with an occupancy level of 75.1 per cent. Most
southern cities like Bangalore (72.1 per cent), Hyderabad (71.4 per cent) and Kochi (68.2
per cent) also achieved high occupancies. In terms of room rates, New Delhi, similar to
last year, maintained its position at the top with an average room rate (ARR) of Rs 3,911.
Mumbai was the second highest at Rs 3,591.
Compiled before the attacks on the World Trade Centre in New York on 11th September,
the report does not incorporate the impact of the event on the hotel industry. Manav
Thadani, managing director, HVS International, indicated that although international
tourist arrivals had declined only by about six per cent post September 11th, the decrease
experienced by hotels was much higher, reflecting an equally large drop in domestic
travel.
Business seem to be picking up now, and is expected to get back on track in time for the
season. On another front, the ITDC disinvestments are expected to temporarily decrease
hotel supply in New Delhi in the near future, which is likely to have a positive impact on
the citys occupancy levels.
Highlights of the report
In this report, hotels have been categorised based on star rating and size (number of
rooms), in addition to providing an all-India synopsis. This year we have also presented
data on chain affiliated and independent hotel properties. Aggregated information on
hotels in 19 major cities in India. Given below, are a few highlights and operational
characteristics of the survey results for the All India 2000-2001 survey.
32. Rooms revenue, generally considered to be the most important source of a
hotels overall profitability, represented 56.4 per cent (an increase from 55.9
per cent of last year) of total revenue across all hotels. In the case of five-star
deluxe, five-star, and four-star hotels, rooms revenue represented 59.1 per
cent, 58.3 per cent and 54.44 per cent of total revenue, respectively
33. The domestic traveller continues to be of importance across all hotels in India
accounting for 74.6 per cent of all guests. Domestic business travellers
represented the
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largest percentage of hotel guests at 39.5 per cent. As expected foreign guests prefer the
luxury and heritage hotels. Foreign leisure travellers and tour groups comprised 28.6 per
cent and 32.3 per cent of the heritage market respectively. Foreign business travellers
comprised 20.6 per cent of the five-star deluxe market. Approximately 44.1 per cent of
all guests made repeat visits to their hotel during 2000-2001
34. Of the foreign (non-Indian) guests, the UK provided the largest demand, at 15
per cent, followed by USA, at 14.9 per cent, and Germany at 9.1 per cent
35. The months of November and December were the busiest in 2000-2001 with
highest average occupancies of 63.5 per cent and 63.9 per cent respectively.
June through September was the slowest with July (49.8 per cent) and
September (51 per cent) recording the lowest occupancies
36. Wednesday through Friday was the busiest part of the week with occupancies
peaking at 59.7 per cent on Thursday. Sunday was the slowest at 49.1 per cent
37. Direct inquiry (56.3 per cent) continues to be the major source of advance
reservations at Indian hotels followed by travel agents and tour operators at
(19.4 per cent)
38. Visa (37 per cent) was the most widely used credit card by guests followed byMastercard (35.4 per cent). American Express also has the highest
commission rate
39. While print advertising continues to be the most popular marketing medium
used by hotels (91.4 per cent) across India, we notice that 94.3 per cent and
86.8 per cent of five-star deluxe and five-star hotels respectively, also use
their hotel websites as effective marketing media. This could be linked to the
fact that hotels in the five-star deluxe and five-star categories also have the
highest level of technology as seen in the following table:
Draw In Synergy With The Industry
academicians should join hands and engage in brainstorming. The following would
definitely contribute:
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1. Industrial training must be made more meaningful at grass-root level.
2. Professionals should seek solutions to their problems from the institutes.
3. Mutual lending of resources between the industry and colleges must happen on an
ongoing basis.
4. Evaluation in the institute should be done on an ongoing basis, rather than yearly or in
semesters with inputs from the industry.
5. Projects should be made compulsory for all years - with a more practical oriented
approach.
6. Syllabi should be reviewed and changed each year in keeping with the revolutionary
changes occurring in the hospitality scenario. This should be done with the help of
industry experts.
7. Teachers should be exposed to the industry for a month, each year, as a refresher.
8. Institute alumni should be closely kept in touch with because they can prove invaluable
in attaining this synergy.
The Bhagvad Gita enunciates Krishnorjuna which is Lord Krishna + Arjun. Lord
Krishna symbolises strategic thought leader or teacher. Arjun represents core
competence, a focused warrior, and one who has even conquered sleep, or the industry
in other words. Until synergy is achieved between hotel management institutes and the
hospitality industry the students will continue to bear the brunt. The Gita emphatically
says that victory is possible only when Lord Krishna and Arjun are together. And that
whenever Gita ends, war begins
THE TAJ GROUP OF HOTELSThe Taj Group of hotels was started on April 1, 1902, by Mr.Jamshetji Nusserwanji Tata.
The first hotel in the chain was the Taj Mahal, Mumbai. This grand building is
recognized worldwide and is a welcome sight to anyone who visits the city.
The Taj has had a significant innings spanning the last three decades both in India and
overseas and has established itself as the premier hospitality body in this country. Indeed
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the Taj group of hotels has spanned the length and breadth of the country, gracing
important industrial towns and cities, beautiful beaches, hill stations, pilgrim and
historical centers and wildlife destinations. Over the years the Taj group has won
international acclaim for its quality hotels and its excellence in business facilities,
services, cuisine and interiors. The Taj groups operations cover over 60 hotels in India
and abroad, and encompass a number of brands across various price segments. The
company has a dominant position in most areas it is present in. Providing world-class
personalized service to guests while authentically reproducing the traditions and heritage
of India has made the Taj brand a symbol of luxury and service the world over. The Taj
group of hotels is grouped into strategic business units to get consistency across the
different units in the same brand and standardize the product and service across the
brands, making them distinct and identifiable. These brands have been classified as
Luxury, Business and Leisure.
TAJ LUXURY HOTELS
The Taj Luxury hotels capture the essence of the Taj experience. Located in the main
political and commercial cities of India they maintain the highest standards in all the
services they offer. With exquisitely appointed rooms and modern comforts, these hotels
offer the finest standards of hospitality and service.
Standing testimony to the quality of service, a number of the luxury hotels of the Taj
group are members of the leading hotels of the world. These include: The Taj Mahal
hotel (Mumbai), Taj palace hotel (new Delhi), the Taj Mahal hotel (new Delhi), Taj
Bengal (Calcutta), the Taj west end (Bangalore) and the Taj Coromandel hotel (madras).
TAJ BUSINESS HOTELS
Located in the heart of Indias key commercial cities and towns, the Taj business hotels
provide every modern facility at particularly attractive room rates. These international
style hotels meet the growing needs of business travelers visiting cities, which are rapidly
industrializing and expanding. The best hotels in their environment, the Taj business
hotels offer multi cuisine restaurants and the best business facilities in the city. The
company anticipates that a significant portion of its long-term growth will come from the
expansion of this brand and is actively seeking ways of strengthening and expanding this
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brand.
TAJ LEISURE HOTELS
At the Taj leisure hotels, pleasure seekers, the curious and those simply wanting to get
away from it all can do just that. These properties include idyllic beach resorts, genuinepalaces, turn of the century garden retreats, hotels located close to historic monuments,
pilgrim centers and some of Indias best wildlife sanctuaries.
The Taj Mahal ,Mumbai is a luxury hotel
Total Product ConceptCORE PRODUCT
At the very center is the core product which satisfies the basic need of the consumer. The
core product in the hotel industry is ACCOMODATION. The role of Hotel International
is to provide basic accommodation facilities. Like a bed for the night and a room with a
bathroom.
FORMAL PRODUCTWhen consumers expectations grows synchronized with increased competition, the
marketer offers some tangibility to the existing core product, that is, some more features.
Consumers prefer to pay more for these additions and the marketers have more to offer
than the competition.
Hotel International has to provide some additional features like:
Hygiene: It comes next to the basic function of accommodation. Hygiene plays a
very important role in the status of a hotel. An unhygienic hotel will never be able to
attract lot of people, especially if it has to attract a lot of people from foreign
countries where the hygiene conditions are top notch.
Room Service: When people go to hotels, they would expect good and prompt
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room service. This means, when they order food or ask for any service, a hotel that
provides it promptly will have a great edge over the other hotels.
Price:The price of the rooms should be such that both the rich and the middle class
people can afford them. Not everyone can afford a very expensive room and also not
everyone will like to stay in a room that does not have some luxurious facilities.
Etiquettes: The people who come in contact with the customers, that is, the
reception people, room service people, and waiters, all have to be trained well to
behave in a manner that pleases the customer. They should be civilized, cultured and
polite.
Laundry services
Food and Wine:The food should be of good quality and should be prepared in
hygienic conditions.
AUGMENTED PRODUCTS
With further higher expectations of the customer- again synchronized with intense
competition- marketers offer more and more intangible features. All the extra things
provided are service oriented. In the case of Hotels the augmented products include:
Facilities In Room :
CTV Satellite channels
International direct dial
Refrigerator (deluxe rooms and suites)
Bathtub (executive rooms and above)
Running hot and cold water.
Services Provided :
Ayurvedic Massage Center and steam bath
Beauty Parlor
Florist
24 HRS Room Service
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24 HRS Coffee Shop
Airport Transfer
Ample Car Park
Safe Deposit Lockers
Travel Assistance
Currency Exchange
Same Day Laundry
Direct Dialing
Cable TV
Health Club
Banquet Halls
Back Water Cruises and Package Tours
24 hrs Check Out
Restaurant/Bar:
1. Variety Restaurant (Indian, Tandoor, Kerala, Continental and Chinese dishes.)
2. 24 hour Specialty Coffee Shop.
3. Family Bar (daily happy hours.)
Promotional Activities:
Regularly conducting Food festivals.
Official host for Motor shows, Fun Carnivals, Fashion shows and other
Fairs.
CORE PRODUCT AND AUGMENTEDSERVICES FOR TAJ HOTEL
Hierarchy:
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Chief Operating Officer (COO)
|
|General Manager
|
|Departmental Heads
|
|Sub-Ordinates / Deputy Managers
|
|
Operational Staff / Administrative Staff|
|
Front Office Staff
The hierarchy for the restaurant:
F&B Manager|
|
Assistant Manager|
|
Restaurant Manager
||
Captain
||
Steward
Departments:The various departments it has are:
40. Security
41. Human resource management
42. Food and beverages.
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43. Front Office
44. Kitchen
45. Sales
46. Purchase
47. Training
48. Maintenance & Engineering
49. Quality
50. Public relations
51. Finance
52. Marketing
Basis of charging room rate
24 hour basis
On this basis, a rate is charged for a room taking the time of arrival into account.
E.g. if the person arrives at 0900 hours on the 6 th September a new day will start. the
guest will be charged for one day only for the next 24 hours i.e. till 0900 hours on 7 th
September. This can be very confusing for the receptionist, as she has to keep a track of
arrival times of all the guests. This basis can be adopted in transit hotels as the guests
cannot be expected to arrive and depart at a fixed time and also the stay is short in transit
hotels.
Room night hotels
In this case, a person is charged for the no. of nights he spends in the hotel.
However if he checks in during the day and checks out during the night, he will be
charged only for one night only. The person checking out should do so before dinner time
or before the night out or he will be charged for extra time. None of the hotels preferthis
system of charging in present times.
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Check in and check out basis
Most hotels prefer to have a fixed check in and check out time. Normally,
accepted check out time is 12 noon. This will be influenced by transport factor. So in
some cases check in and check out time may differ. There are several advantages in
having a fixed check in and check out time for guests as well as for the hotel. The guest
knows that he has to check out by certain time or he may be charged extra.
The receptionist knows how many rooms are occupied and how many are
available for sale. The housekeeping department will be aware of the number of rooms
they will have to service as check out room. So better co-ordination is possible between
the various departments to prepare for incoming guests. The hotel can also earn more
revenue from rooms by selling the room more than once to different guests
The 8 Ps with reference to TheTaj Mahal Hotel
Product Element
This gracious turn-of-the century hotel is located 32 km from the airport and minutes
away from Mumbai's commercial, shopping and banking districts. The Taj Mahal Hotel
has an old-world Heritage Wing and a contemporary Tower Wing. The hotel's premium
suites have been used by royalty and Heads of State.
Taj believes that the their core product is space. This space is supplemented with the
services they provide like the restaurants, health club, banquets, discotheque, bar,
business centers etc. Their other supplementary products also include travel
arrangements, ticketing, airport pick-ups, sightseeing etc. The hotels various other
departments like the house keeping, front office, food and beverage, room service and
maintenance, all provide the supplementary services to the customer.
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A few of the Facilities and Services offered are as follows:-
Types of Accommodation
582 centrally air-conditioned rooms including 49 suites.
Tower Wing Rooms: With easy access to the Business Centre, these contemporary
rooms offerguest amenities like Internet connectivity, 2-line speaker phones with
international direct dial facility and voice mail. Mini bar, personal safe, channel music
and television with satellite programmes. A complimentary in-room fax can be provided
on request. Guests have a choice of rooms that overlook the city or face the Gateway of
India and the Arabian Sea.
Heritage Wing Rooms: These rooms are renowned for their architecture and exudean aura of old-world elegance. Each corridor in this Wing resembles an art gallery, and
the design, dcor and furnishing ensure that no two rooms are alike. Guests have a choice
of rooms that overlook the city or pool or face the Gateway of India and the Arabian Sea.
Taj Club: Located on the top floors of the Heritage Wing, Taj Club is designed for the
discerning business traveler. Guest amenities and services include complimentary airport
limousine transfers, private check-in at the Club desk, in-room fax, personal safe, acomplimentary bottle of wine, valet service and complimentary deluxe Continental
breakfast. Taj Club guests can also enjoy complimentary tea/coffee throughout the day
and cocktails during the Cocktail Hour at the Club Lounge. Taj Club also offers guests
exclusive Meeting Rooms and a Business Service Unit on the Club Floor.
Suites: Choose from elegantly appointed Junior Suites, Executive Suites, tastefully
decorated Large Suites, newly renovated Luxury Suites or spacious, plush Grand Luxe
Suites. The finest suites at The Taj Mahal are the luxuriously appointed Presidential
Suites. Each of these suites is decorated with original paintings and antiques that
transport guests into a world of regal luxury and grandeur. Grand Luxe and Presidential
Suite guests can also avail of a personal Valet Service.
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Broadband wireless Internet access at select Taj hotels
Now when you stay at select Taj hotels in Mumbai (including The Taj Mahal Hotel),
New Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore and Hyderabad, you no longer need to be in
your room or at the Business Centre to use the Internet. Multiple 'hot spots' located across
the hotels lets you get onto the Internet from almost any place in the hotel - quickly and
without plugging in! What's more, there is a Cyber Butler on call, should you need any
assistance with getting connected.
Facilities and Services
Swimming pool, fitness centre and spa, beauty parlour, barber shop, travel desk, car
rental, pastry shop, book shop, shopping arcade, currency exchange, doctor-on-call and
babysitting. Complimentary use of steam, Jacuzzi and gymnasium at the fitness centre for
all guests. Arrangements for golf, badminton, squash, billiards, tennis and table tennis on
request. 24-hour room service and laundry service
Place and Time
As far as place is concerned, all the Taj services and facilities are provided at one
point. To ensure timely delivery of their services, they have set processes in place andincase of failure or delay of service, they have built in contingencies and trained their
staff to communicate the delay to the customer in the right manner.
One of the incidents that Mr. Vivek Sah, the Training Manager at Taj provided us with
to explain this concept further is of the implementation of the contingency plan during the
breakdown of the elevator. In case of breakdown of the elevator, the Room Service
makes use of the elevator in the other wing to ensure timely delivery to the customer.
They also have complaint management systems where they encourage customer
feedback. Each of their feedback form is numbered and hence if any feedback form is
missing, the staff is held liable for it. This is to ensure that the management views every
feedback form.
To ensure standadization in their services, they have Standard Operating Procedures
(SOP), e.g the food that is served in the restaurant will be of the same quality and taste at
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any given day and time.
Process
In order to ensure that the core product and the supplementary product is developed and
delivered in the right manner and at the right time, the hotel has formed certain set
processes. When the room is being prepared for customer check-in , the house-keeping
department make sure that all the room amenities are provided as per the check list. For
e.g. certain room amenities like 3 embroidered laundry bags, 2 closed slippers with logo,
2 shoe bags, etc. are provided by The Taj Mahal Hotel.
Infact the processes are so specifically laid down that hotel staff are even advised on what
to say and what words to use while talking to a customer. The following example willillustrate this better. When a customer asks for something to be done instead of saying
no problem, the staff is taught to say most certainly.
The Taj Blueprint
When the service provider comes in contact with the customer, he needs to surpass the
customers expectations, for which a blue print is made and followed by the service
provider, in this case the Taj Mahal Hotel.
Dinner Service SequenceProcedure
1Greet Guests Entrance Host(ess) / Manager
2
Smile using appropriatesalutation,correct posture,eye-contact and guest name wherepossible. Entrance Host(ess) / Manager
3Smoking/Non-smokingpreference to be confirmed. Entrance Host(ess) / Manager
4Assist guests to their seats. Restaurant Host(ess) / Manager
5Unfold the napkins, ladies first Restaurant Captain
6
Suggest the Dinner buffet, anddescribe the buffet highlights -specials etc. Table Captain / Manager
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7
Present the food menu alongwith the beverage list/ winemenu, if A La Carte is desiredby the guest. Suggest dailyspecials and advice nonavailability`s, prior to foodorders. Table Captain / Manager
8Suggest bottled water and offerwine by glass. Table Captain
9
For wine service, appropriateglassware to be present on thetable. Table Captain / Server
10 For all orders, serve ladies first Table Captain / Server
11
Clear plates accordingly beforeguests return after secondhelping from buffet. Table Captain / Server
12
For A La Carte orders, plates tobe cleared only after allcomplete their meal. Table Captain / Server
13Replenish the cuttleryaccordingly. Table Captain / Server
14
Napkins to be folded neatly inhalf and placed on the left arm-chair, when guests leave forsecond helping. Table Captain / Server
15
For A La Carte orders, offerdessert menu and describleitems. Table Captain / Server
16Offer tea / coffee after entreand side plates are cleared. Table Captain / Server
17Always maintain table top clean,before resetting the table Table Captain / Server
18
Place bill folder with cheque ontable for signature, as per guestconvinience Table Captain / Server
19Thank all guests using theirnames respectively. Table
Captain / Server / Host(ess) /Manager
20Bid farewell. RestaurantCaptain / Server / Host(ess) /Manager
21Upon guest departure, cleartable immediately. Table Captain / Server
Productivity
The Taj as a hotel does not compare itself to only Indian hotels, but even with the
hotels internationally as it claims to have World Class Quality. In order to ensure that
its inputs are transformed into desired outputs, they provide extensive training to their
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employees irrespective of the field they come from.
The Taj Mahal hotel has various quality tools to enhance quality. This involves every
department, as they have to make sure that the raw material as well as the finished
product is of top quality. At The Taj, it is the responsibility of the purchase department to
make sure that the raw materials are purchased at the Right Time, Right Place, Right Cost
and from the Right Source, in order to avoid any hindrances in their productivity and
quality.
Taj has developed enormous credibility in terms of trustworthiness being the oldest brand
of hotels, with the reputation of being World class and honest service provider. Security,
Communication and understanding the customer psychology are special assets the Taj
management has mastered with time.
People
People here mean the customers, employees, management and the society. It is
the final customer who is to be satisfied and this can be done only with the help of the
employees, who are directed and guided by the management. In the end the final motive
of Taj is to provide consistently and relentlessly an Indian experience of warmth and
hospitality by anticipating and exceeding guest expectations. They also provide various
customer services such as The Taj Inner Circle Group, Taj Advantage and Taj
Epicure.
In order to ensure the productivity of their employees they provide them with various
facilities such as medical help, consultation, traveling facilities, perks and bonuses. The
employers here each have their own lockers in which they keep their uniforms and other
belongings, they also have bunkers with small beds so that the employees working in
shifts can catch some sleep if need be.
In spite of the fact that human resources management is such an integral part of the
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service industry of which hotels form a major part, its role has begun to be acknowledged
only recently. The Taj Group of Hotels is probably one of the first Indian hotel chains to
have recognised and respected the significance of HR in the hospitality industry. Says K
S Srinivasan, GM-corporate human resources, The Taj Mahal Hotel, Mumbai, Functions
like sales, marketing and HR are not hotel-specific, unlike those of chefs, housekeepers,
bartenders, stewards and the like. They are, in fact, common to all businesses.
He asserts that HR, as a function, is like a partner in the business in any organisation and
not a stand-alone function. It is the key to effective utilisation of the manpower that the
hotel industry is so dependent on. And the Indian hotel industry is among the most labour
intensive since the number of people serving guests is the maximum here. It is precisely
for this reason that the significance of HR requires to be appreciated.
It is not merely monetary rewards that employees seek today; the intriguing aspect is the
learning experience that the job promises. It is precisely with this very thought in mind
that the Taj Group of Hotels, a Tata enterprise and one of the oldest hotel chains in the
country, decided on a training programme for the operations trainees, explains
Srinivasan.
Interactive sessions between the Taj management and the director of the Tata Institute of
Social Sciences (TISS), a Tata educational and research institution, led to an interesting
and comprehensive tailor-made course curriculum being chalked out. Thus was born the
Taj TISS HR Associate Programme, a one-year course comprising four modules that
are designed to give equal importance to and impart balanced knowledge of both the
theoretical and the practical aspects of all HR-related functions of the hotel industry.
After finalising the course details, the Taj made announcements about the course,
offering interested trainees with two to three years of work experience an opportunity to
apply. The response was encouraging and five trainees were shortlisted for the first batch
of the training programme.
Each of the four modules have four sections. The first stage consists of theoretical
lessons, providing a sound background to the practical application of the knowledge
required of them in the second stage. In the third stage, the students return to the Institute
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and their performance is evaluated by professors of TISS. In the fourth and final stage,
grades are awarded. While practical training sessions for the first three modules have
been organised at the Taj hotels across the country, the fourth modules practical sessions
had students of the first batch working in Tata companies such as TISCO and Tata
Consultancy Services (TCS). This gave them a wider scope and more exposure, besides
making them realise that HR skills in a service-specific industry like the hotels are much
more challenging than their application in the manufacturing or any other industry,
observed Srinivasan. He said he himself had started off in the manufacturing industry and
only later did he move over to the service industry. I have been in the industry for over a
decade now and am well-set here, he added.
The key to retaining staff and ensuring the success of any business organisation lies with
the HR department and its effective functioning. Any organisation, including hotels, incur
heavy expenditure on their employees, especially between the time of recruitment and the
employees acquisition of the skills imparted during their training. It can be inferred,
therefore, that a high employee turnover rate lowers the efficiency of the staff as a whole
owing to their constant on-the-job training and skill enhancement.
An organisation must be able to create for itself a unique place and image in the minds
of the employees, both present and prospective. This enables the employees to aspire to
be a part of the organisation, giving it their very best, says Srinivasan. Though the
training programme has and will continue to cost us money, we believe that it is truly
worthy investment, he added.
The Taj group, says Srinivasan, is an expanding organisation and we are a people-
oriented company. What we need are people who can match our organisational standards.
We are also looking to create and ensure a constant supply of good quality HR
professionals, which is why we decided to impart training of an extremely specialised
nature to our management trainees. I have observed them at the end of the programme
and must say that they appear all charged up and raring to go, he remarked.
The Taj-TISS joint programme is expected to create a demonstration effect in the
industry with more hotel groups placing additional emphasis on the HR training
programmes.
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To be a successful HR professional, what is required most is the aspirants ability to
challenge themselves as well as their colleagues. Only then can they get the very best
from themselves and their team. Challenges in the HR field are immense and since it is
so people-centric, it is only obvious that professionals should have strong people-
management skills, explains Srinivasan. Besides this, a right attitude towards the job and
life in general is extremely essential. As a manager myself, what I would look for in an
applicant would be the ability to fit into my organisation perfectly and be emotionally
balanced, competent and above all, be a cultural fit, fulfiling the basic values that the Taj
is known for, concludes Srinivasan.
Promotion and Education
They carry out their promotions by the means of calendars, monthly letter to their
Inner Circle Customers, informing them about their upcoming events and offers. Taj
has television advertisements on popular channels like CNBC, and print ads in magazines
and newspapers. Taj takes part in exhibitions like wherein they promote their holiday
packages. They also have special offers during the off-season etc. Also The Taj is the
only hotel chain to personify itself and in promotion campaigns and advertisements the
Taj is often referred to as She The print ads for the Taj are :-
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Headline: Merger? Acquisition? Hostile Takeover? Mahi-Mahi?
Bodycopy: The Taj has always been the perfect setting for conducting business. And now, after extensive
refurbishment. The Taj is pleased to present an altogether appetising array of new settings. The severalstylish new restaurants with cuisines ranging from the sublime to the deliciously exotic. The fun new barswith live entertainment and dancing. And the service, you may ask? as always, exceedingly well done.
Headline: The world has become a verysmall place. About the size of room 114as it happens.
Bodycopy: 'Always On' is a rather apt analogy fotoday's international business traveller. It alsexplains why increasing numbers of their trib
hone in on our newly refurbished and luxuriouslyappointed guest rooms. Which offer, among otheuseful business conveniences, Taj Connectinstant Internet access at the other end of simple 3-digit number. Just our way of ensuringyou are always 'plugged in' to the world.
Physical Evidence
The Taj Mahal Hotel was built in 1903. The architect was Sitaram Vaidya. It had
a very ethnic look to it, which kept up their image of providing an Indian experience of
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warmth and hospitality. They realized that modernization is the name of the game and
had The Taj redesigned by Mr. Chambers, Mr. Wilkes and Mr. Bernard from Singapore.
Some of the recent renovations that have been carried out at the Taj are
The exterior has been given a new and modern look while still retaining the old
world charm of the building.
The entrance has splendidly carved bronze and glass doors Soaring onyx columns
stretch to a luminous alabaster ceiling; while underfoot, rich hand-woven carpets set off a
magnificent floor painstakingly inlaid with semi-precious stones. The eclectic mix of
western contemporary style and traditional Indian motifs creates a veritable feast for thesense.
The city's most exclusive restaurant, The Zodaic Grill provides a graceful setting
for an intimate dining experience. Under a magnificent trompe l'oeil dome, they serve the
finest gourmet cuisine complemented by an extensive wine list, as a classically trained
pianist entertains patrons.
Price and Other User Costs
Taj realizes that their prices are high and not affordable by all, but this is due to
various overheads that it incurs and the superior quality that it offers. For e.g. a roadside
sandwich seller sells his sandwich for Rs.10 as he has no overheads and has no quality
standards to maintain, like the quality of the bread and the vegetables. But at The Taj,
they serve the best quality and also incur overhead expenses.
Also the target audience that the Taj caters to are the ones who come to the Taj
for its ambience and world class standards, therefore they say that their prices are
justified as they help The Taj retain the exclusivity that it stands for.
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Why the Taj is regarded among the best in
the industry??
Taj Mahal Hotel, Mumbai wins "Best Business Hotel in India"award for year 2000October 9, 2000
The Taj Mahal Hotel, Mumbai has won the coveted award of the Best Business Hotel in
India for a second consecutive time. The award was announced last week at a glittering
ceremony at Singapore during the 3rd Annual Best Business Hotels in Asia Awards 2000.
The award is instituted jointly by Bloomberg TV and Business Asia with the aim to
recognize excellence in hotel industry and encourage better standards for the crucial
business travel sector.
Readers of the Business Asia and viewers of the Bloomberg were invited to vote for their
preferred Hotel in each country through a coupon that appeared in every issue of
Business Asia from July to September. Approximately 20,000 votes were received for the
award from readers of Business Asia and Bloomberg TV viewers.
The award was judged by a panel of eminent business leaders including Mr. Ken Cowley,
Director of News Corp, Mr. Pater Charlton, Publisher of Business Asia, Mr. Cameron
Cooper, Editor of Business Asia and Mr. Robert Stiles, Managing Director Asia Pacific
of Sonnenblick-Goldman and board member of "Hotels" magazine. The judging panel
met in Sydney in February 2000 and selected a list of 85 hotels from 14 countries.
The nominated hotels were judged on a range of criteria from special business services to
business clubs and lounge facilities, conferences and convention facilities and guest
reward and incentive programmes. The votes were counted and tallied by a leading firm
Gould Ralph and Company Chartered Accountants in Sydney.
Says Mr Subir Bhowmick, Chief Operating Officer, Luxury Hotels of the Taj Group "We
are honoured to receive this prestigious award. Last year the readers of Business Asia
voted the Taj Mahal, Mumbai as the best Business Hotel in India and in 1998, it was Taj
Palace, New Delhi that received the award. We are glad that the legendary standards of
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impeccable service and warm hospitality set by the Taj Group of Hotels have once again
earned us this distinction."
Old lady of Apollo Bunder turns 100Business Standard - Jan 20, 2003
The Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai celebrated 100 years of its existence in style on Friday.
Created by Jamshetji Nusserwanji Tata, Indian Hotels flagship hotel first opened its
doors in 1903. Since then, the Taj group has over the years added many properties to its
wing and has risen to be one of the premier hotel chains in the world.
Non executive group chairman, Ratan Tata, Indian Hotels Company managing director,
RK Krishna Kumar and other members of the Taj group played host to the gathering.
To grace the occasion, the rich and the famous faces from the industry, celluloid, media,
politics and arts rubbed shoulders. From the Maharana of Udaipur to the Ambanis, from
Simi Garewal to MF Hussain, the whos who of Indias social circuits were present at the
function.
There were few surprises however. Former Tata stalwart and now rival hotelier Ajit
Kerkar, chairman of Tulip Hospitality, was also present at the Taj celebration. Also seen
was old timer Camilla Panjabi.
Welcoming the guests for the celebrations, Krishna Kumar said: It is wonderful to be a
part of this momentous occasion and this institution called the Taj. It is a very proud
moment for us. Taj is not just about rooms and restaurants. Its about style, glamour, a
celebration of spirit and hospitality at its finest. We look forward to another glorious
centenary of hospitality from this grand hotel.
Ratan Tata added: The Taj Mahal Hotel owes its existence to the vision of Jamsetji
Tata. He said The Taj, since its launch in 1903, has witnessed the birth of the Gateway
of India, two World Wars and has done its bit for the country during the independence
struggle.
The Taj has hosted a global list of whos who - from Albert Einstein to the Wright
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brothers, from Neil Armstrong to Beatle George Harrison learning sitar from Pandit Ravi
Shankar.
For the old lady of Apollo Bunder, it has been a long journey...