Taj to woo domestic travellers

With the peak season in the tourism sector coming to an end in March, the Taj group of hotels is changing the gears to woo the domestic travellers.

The leisure division of the group is planning to woo the domestic tourists through an innovative marketing strategy: It is shifting the emphasis in its promotions from vanilla offerings to experience-based activities.

The new marketing push is part of the group's 'Art of Holidaying' strategy. A media campaign is being planned on television, radio and Internet.

While senior Taj officials would not divulge the details of the campaign, media planners said the campaign is expected to start from end-March or early-April.

The leisure division's turnover is pegged at Rs 200 crore (Rs 2 billion) and is growing at 20 per cent. Taj officials expect the growth to rise to 28-30 per cent after the campaign.

Tourism consultants point out that the needs of the Indian traveller have evolved rapidly over the last few years.

No longer are domestic tourists interested in merely visiting sites mentioned in guide books or are just enjoying the amenities of a five-star hotels. Instead, he is looking for holidays that provide him with extraordinary experiences.

To meet this emerging trend, the Taj group has revamped the offerings at its leisure properties in Goa, Jodhpur and Kochi.

Sandhya Kunjur, general manager (marketing), leisure hotels, Taj group, said, "We are emphasising on those services that enable a tourist to remember his visit for a lifetime."

As part of the new experience-based package, the hotel chain's Jodhpur property takes its patrons out for a camel-ride to the outskirts of the city at dawn to visit peacocks.

Similarly, the Kochi property takes the patrons to spice plantations where they learn to cook new recipes from the spices grown there.