The Hindu Business Line : EIH, Hilton International enter pact

The present tie-up will include the Trident hotels at Gurgaon, Agra, Jaipur, Udaipur, Bhubaneshwar, Chennai and Kochi, all of which will now be known as Trident Hilton hotels.

Mr P.R.S. Oberoi, Chairman, EIH Ltd (left) with Mr Koos Klein, Hilton International President (Middle East and Asia Pacific), at a press conference to announce the launch of the Trident Hilton alliance at Gurgaon on Friday. — Kamal Narang

New Delhi , April 2

EIH Ltd and Hilton International on Friday launched a strategic alliance that saw seven Trident hotels being renamed as Trident Hilton. In addition, the Oberoi Towers in Mumbai will now be called the Hilton Towers.

The strategic alliance is the basis for a franchise agreement that builds on the combined strength of Trident's domestic brand position and operational expertise, together with Hilton's strategic brand and vast sales and marketing network.

Announcing the tie-up at a news conference at Gurgaon near here, the President, Hilton International, Middle East and Asia-Pacific, Mr Koos Klein, said though the arrangement with Trident was not exclusive, it was the only presence that Hilton International has in the country.

"We are looking at this as a very long-term strategic partnership. Despite the tie-up, we do not intend to raise prices immediately," the Chairman, EIH Ltd, Mr P.R.S. Oberoi, said and noted that, at the moment, Hilton has no plans to pump in any equity. The present tie-up will include the Trident hotels at Gurgaon, Agra, Jaipur, Udaipur, Bhubaneshwar, Chennai and Kochi, all of which will now be known as Trident Hilton hotels.

The strategic alliance, will see EIH continue to manage all hotels and undertake domestic marketing promotions and reservations in India while Hilton International will be responsible for international marketing, promotion and reservations through its global network.

Mr Klein declined to speculate on how much the tie-up will help each hotel chain generate additional room nights. "We have not approached it on this basis. At best, what we say will be guess work," Mr Klein said.

However, the Hilton International President announced that a marketing fund has been set up for promoting the Trident Hilton hotels. Officials, though, refused to divulge the amount that had been earmarked for the fund.

Commenting on the growth in the market during 2004-05, Mr Oberoi said that the market looks good. "The season since November has been good. Besides, the economy also looks good," Mr Oberoi said.

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