The 25th of June brought cause for great joy to the folks over at the Taj Hotels as Taj was given the distinguished title of the Strongest Hotel Brand in the World. The ranking was done by Brand Valuation. The Brand belongs to Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL). The company was incorporated by the founder of the Tata Group, Jamsetji Tata.
Brand Finance is the world’s leading independent brand valuation consultancy. Brand Finance was set up in 1996 with the aim of ‘bridging the gap between marketing and finance’. They conduct their ‘Hotels 50’ brand value rankings annually, and this year it was the Taj group of hotels that stole the limelight. The report recognizes the most valuable and strongest hotel brands across the globe. Apart from the Strongest Hotel ranking, Business Finance also releases other rankings such as for the Most Valuable Brands and Top Brand Portfolio.
The Press Release by IHC quoted David Haigh, CEO, Brand Finance as saying, “We are excited to announce Taj as the Strongest Hotel Brand in the World. A brand with a century-old legacy and a custodian of the revered Indian hospitality has stood resilient in spite of the challenges posed by the ongoing pandemic. Global travelers have relied upon and tested brands in different ways and Taj has emerged on top.”
The Hotel 50 2021 report also lauded the company’s successful implementation of its R.E.S.E.T 2020 strategy, which provided a transformative framework, helping the Taj brand surmount pandemic-related challenges. It included initiatives for revenue generation, optimization, financial prudence, asset management, and excellence in terms of adopting covid-compliant SOPs.
Taj Hotels is an iconic brand of IHCL which is South Asia’s largest hospitality company. IHC made the announcement that their brand had received an overall Brand Strength Index of 89.3 out of 100 with a corresponding AAA rating for customer familiarity, employee satisfaction, corporate reputation, and customer service, all of which are known to be world-class.
Mr. Puneet Chhatwal, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, Indian Hotels Company, said, “This is a proud moment for the Indian hospitality industry on the global stage. Taj being rated as the World’s Strongest Hotel Brand is a testament to the unwavering trust our guests have consistently placed in us and the warmth and sincere care our employees have embodied day after day. We will continue our endeavor to elevate the world-class experiences of luxury hospitality and deliver the magic of Tajness to all our stakeholders.”
IHCL has a portfolio of 221 hotels including 55 under development globally across 4 continents, 12 countries, and over 100 locations. The unique selling point or USP of the company, along with its subsidiaries is that they bring together a group of brands and businesses that offer a fusion of warm Indian hospitality and world-class service.
Among the most famous of its many brands is the Taj group- the iconic brand with years of heritage and goodwill associated with it. Apart from that, some other salient brands are SeleQtions – often referred to as “an ensemble of curated experiences” meant for the experiential traveler, Vivanta – a smart and sophisticated collective of business hotels and Ginger, which is revolutionizing the lean luxe segment, switching seamlessly between travel and work and bridging the gap between luxury and affordability. The Amã Stays & Trails range is yet another brand under its ambit which specializes in the homestay experience.
The most well-known example of the Taj brand of hotels has got to be the Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai, erstwhile Bombay. Inaugurated in 1903, it is the very first hotel by the Company. It has since been a major landmark, and of course, the favorite destination of discerning tourists. It won’t be wrong to say that it has served as a trademark of Mumbai.
After all, it does witness numerous tourists each year who often go there to just pose before it for its majestic architecture made richer by years of history and heritage. The 26/11 terror attacks at the hotel is one of its greatest tragedies, but equally compelling is the story of its reconstruction and return to normalcy. Many have recounted and lauded the selflessness of several of its staff members during the attack.
