Taj to debut in Bhutan soon

Taj Leisure Hotels, the strategic business unit of Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces will launch Taj Tashi, its new property in Thimphu, the capital of the neighbouring state of Bhutan on January 23.

The Taj Tashi is developed by the Tashi Group of Companies, one of the large industrial houses in Bhutan with an investment of Rs 50 crore (Rs 500 million).

The Tashi Group also owns the Druk Group of Hotels and has diversified businesses in Bhutan. Taj has entered into a management contract with the Tashi Group to operate the property.

Indian Hotels Company, a part of Taj Hotels, as a strategic market decision, has been targeting a presence in virgin tourist destinations, with Bhutan being the latest addition.

One of the most stable small states neighbouring India, Bhutan is a cultural destination for western tourists, the surviving Buddhist culture being a major draw.

Bhutan is not a major tourist destination; total tourist inflow is about 14,000 annually as the government as a policy does not encourage aggressive promotion of the country.

However, of late, the government is looking to leverage Bhutan's rich cultural heritage and Taj in that aspect would have a first mover advantage, once the market matures.

"We are in Bhutan because it is one of the last Shangri Las left in the world. Taj Tashi will be one of the first Taj properties in cool climate regions. It is inspired by Bhutanese Dzong architecture and all its rooms have a mountain view. We will be able to give an essence of Bhutan to the tourists even if they do not want to step out of the hotel. This will also be Bhutan's first centrally-heated hotels," said Jyoti Narang, Chief Operating Officer, Taj Leisure Hotels.

The hotel has 66 guest rooms with seven suites for the seven heads of states of the SAARC countries if and when the SAARC Summit is held in Bhutan. The tariffs are between $300-600 per day.

Taj aims to attract a mix of Indian as well as US tourists with an accent on the latter as Bhutan is of great cultural interest to the American tourist. Indian tourists are mostly leisure tourists or honeymooners.

Taj Leisure Hotels last year had forayed into Malaysia and entered into a management contract with Rebak Island Marina Berhad for operating a solitary resort on the privately owned 390-acre Rebak Island, one of the 99 isles of  Langkawi.

In India, the company has signed contracts for new properties in Bekal in North Kerala and in Pondicherry, it will also launch two more wildlife lodges in Madhya Pradesh.