The Hindu Business Line : Taj Hotel signs marketing alliance with Okura

More room: Mr Raymond Bickson (left), Managing Director & CEO, Indian Hotels Company, and Mr Mikio Matsui, President & CEO, Hotel Okura Company, at a press conference in Mumbai on Tuesday to announce the strategic marketing alliance for developing cross-promotional opportunities. - Paul Noronha

Agreement is for a period of two years and is extendable

Our Bureau

Mumbai, Sept. 4

Taj Hotel Resorts and Palaces signed a marketing alliance with Okura Hotels and Resorts of Japan here on Tuesday.

To begin with, the agreement between both the parties is for a period of two years, which is extendable and would be applicable across nine properties of Taj and seven of Okura, to be increased further.

Taj Hotel Resorts and Palaces is part of Indian Hotels Company Ltd, controlled by the Tata Group.

The deal

As part of the deal, both the hotel industry giants would take combined reservations for each other in the nominated hotels starting Wednesday. Implementation of reciprocated points in both the companies’ loyalty programme would enable customers to earn and burn points at the participating hotels, it would also include joint participation from both players in trade shows, sales events, niche marketing programmes and culinary promotions.

Addressing newspersons on the occasion, Mr Raymond Bickson, Managing Director and CEO of Indian Hotels Company said, “The cooperation will also be extended to staff exchange programmes in different areas of expertise like food and beverage, front office etc. This would also give both sides an exposure to cross cultural practices in respective countries as well as companies, enabling to serve guests from both sides in an efficient manner.”

He added that with Tata group companies having a presence in Japan, it becomes “extremely important” for the Taj group also to have a footprint in the country. “This alliance is an excellent opportunity to not only expand its service philosophy but also its reach in different parts of the world.”

‘No co-branding’

Though currently only six to seven per cent of Taj’s total overseas clients are Japanese, Mr Bickson said the numbers are expected to grow with the increasing cooperation between India and Japan on various fronts. Mr Mikio Matsui, President and CEO of Okura Hotel Co Ltd, also said, “The number of Indian guests to the hotel is limited to single digit. With the deal, we are positive on substantial increase in the number.”

Answering to a question, Mr Ajoy Misra, Vice-President, Sales and Marketing, Indian Hotels Company said, “There is going to be no co-branding as part of the agreement because both companies respect each other’s identity and would like to preserve that. However, we have jointly produced directories giving details of our properties, which will also be placed in the rooms of both hotels along with other joint initiatives.”

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