Scheduleforming part of the Balance Sheet - Domain-b

Annual Report 2007-2008
reflects Bhutan’s rich heritage and architecture. The project at Whitefield, Bangalore a 199 room premium hotel is slated to open
shortly. Roots Corporation Ltd., the Company’s wholly owned subsidiary, commenced operation of its four new 100 rooms
‘Ginger’ hotels at Nashik, Agartala, Pondicherry & Baroda under the ‘Smart basics’ format.
During the year, your Company launched several unique restaurants in the domestic & international hotels, notably “Latitude”
the exquisite all day dining restaurant at Taj Samudra, Sri Lanka, the Italian restaurant “Prego” at Taj Coromandel, Chennai,
“Masala Club” at the Taj West End, Bangalore and the “Wasabi” restaurant at the Taj Mahal, New Delhi.
During the year, your Company invested in a Singapore subsidiary, BJETS Pte Limited which, when operational, will provide a
range of services including private non-scheduled aviation services, fractional ownership programmes, acquisition and maintenance
of private jet fleet. BJETS intends to target high net worth individuals and MNC’s across India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan,
Nepal and South-east Asian countries .
Your Company, along with Tata Realty and Infrastructure Limited, successfully bid for setting up an IT SEZ in Chennai which,
apart from creation of IT space, will include setting up of a 5 Star Hotel, Serviced Apartments and Convention Centre which will
be managed by your Company.
EXPANSION IN DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL MARKETS
The Domestic market has been rapidly expanding and your Company’s expansion strategy in the domestic market has been in line
with the expectations given the buoyancy in the industry. During the year under review, the Company has at strategic locations
made commitments by way of acquiring properties on lease, entering into tie ups for equipping hotels being built by partners and
executing a number of management and technical services contracts for managing, operating and rendering technical services.
The Company also entered into management contracts for several properties which will commence operation over the next few
years both in the domestic and international markets. In the domestic sector, the Company has signed Management Contracts for
hotels at Pune, Kolkata, Pondicherry and a Service Apartment at Pune. On the international front, Management Contracts are in
place for properties at YAS Island-Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah Saraya Islands-UAE, Doha in Qatar and Cape Town, South Africa.
All these new hotels will come in the market in the next few years. On the wild life safari lodges business, while two high end
lodges are operational, two more lodges are slated to open shortly at Panna and Kanha, thereby completing the first safari circuit
in India. Under the ‘Ginger’ brand in addition to the 11 operational hotels, various projects at New Delhi, Ludhiana, Goa,
Mangalore, Ahmedabad and Guwahati are under implementation. Management Contracts are also in place under the ‘Ginger’
brand in Jaipur, Katra, Lucknow and Tirupur.
SERVICE EXCELLENCE
Guest Experience (LUXURY)
In its commitment to continually enhance the guest experience, your Company has initiated a series of programmes to upgrade
the product and service levels.The online Customer Feedback Survey has greatly facilitated the direction and focus of the service
enhancement programme and the training efforts as identified through the Voice of the Customer.
Key guest service touch points like the Concierge, Butler Services, the Sommelier and Bartender programmes were further
reinforced. Associates who had undergone the initial training under these programmes, received focused development inputs
through dedicated training sessions and on-site interactions using international experts.
Currently, 15 of our Concierge team members have been recognized as members by the International Association of Concierges,
the Clefs d’Or (including adherent members). The crossed gold keys worn on the labels of the Concierge uniform are more than
just the symbol of the organization - they represent guaranteed, quality service.
A world-renowned Sommelier has been recruited to create unique Wine Programmes in our hotels and enhance the dining
experience of our guests.This ongoing development of such key guest facing areas will ensure that service delivery at Taj Luxury
Hotels is personalized and further differentiated.
In your Company’s quest to benchmark against the world’s finest hotels, the Taj Luxury Experience continues to be refined and
evolve. This will enable Taj Luxury Hotels to establish a unique identity synonymous with the ‘Taj’ brand.
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