Taj Hotels to expand footprint in Africa - kenyadetails

Indian luxury brand, Taj Hotels, is keen to expand its footprint in Africa after establishing its presence in Cape Town, South Africa. According to Michael Pownall, General Manager, Taj Cape Town, the group is eager to expand its footprint largely in

countries where parent company Tata Group has business stakes in different sectors. These countries include Nigeria, Zambia, Ghana, and Malawi.

Speaking to the Indian media delegation on the sidelines of INDABA 2013 at Durban, Pownall said that the company is hopeful of adding a couple of properties by the end of this year. However, he informed that the hotel expansions would be through “predominantly management contracts”. “The original idea was to make Taj Cape Town stable and successful, and then look for expansion. We are still a young brand in Africa. After the first couple of years of struggle, we have now been able to establish ourselves in the market. The brand has been received well and that is why we are looking for expansion,” he explained. Pownall added that Vivanta by Taj would be the most suitable brand for these countries of Africa, instead of the luxury brand Taj. “We will be looking for more city-oriented than resort-oriented properties in Africa,” he said.

Pownall said that Taj Cape Town, which was opened in March 2010 before the Soccer World Cup, after initial challenges, had recorded good occupancy last year, at par with the market. “2010 was a difficult year for us. Although the World Cup that year helped us, considering we were new and a lot of hotels opened during the time, there was an over-supply of hotel rooms in the market. The year that followed was again a little difficult for everyone in South Africa. Thankfully, 2012 turned out to be a good year for both South Africa as a destination as well as for the hotel industry. Occupancies went up from 40 per cent in 2011 to over 60 per cent in 2012,” he said.

Taj Cape Town, a 50:50 joint venture between The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) and Eurocape, is a super luxury hotel with 176 guest rooms in 11 select categories. The iconic structure, which once housed the South African Reserve Bank and Temple Chambers, opens to a vast array of heritage and cultural masterpieces that include the national and provincial parliaments, Government Avenue leading through the 350-year-old Company's Garden from St George’s Cathedral, the cosmopolitan crafts of St Georges Mall and Greenmarket Square, and a diversity of culture, art, entertainment and cuisine.