Chennai-based Oriental Hotels that is on a major expansion drive in South India will soon set up 2 new hotels in Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu) and Bengaluru (Karnataka) at the total investment of Rs. 160 crore.
Raymond Bickson, MD and CEO, Indian Hotels Company said, “We have extensive plans to expand Oriental’s footprint across the southern region over the five-six years. The company has land banks in places like Mysore, Sriperumbudur (near Chennai), Gundu Island (Kochi), Coonoor and Bengaluru.”
The establishment of the new properties will thus increase the total number of rooms to 1,250 rooms from the current 850 rooms by 2012. The group that operates luxury, business, and leisure hotels under the brand name ‘Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces’ has already invested an amount of Rs. 178 crore on the upgradation and renovation of its existing hotels. And with its acquired bank lands, the company will announce its other plans soon.
Some of the important properties that Oriental Hotels Limited currently operates include Taj Coromandel, Chennai; Fisherman's Cove, Kovalam; Taj Malabar, Kochi; The Gateway Hotel, Vizag; The Gateway Hotel, Mangalore and others. With an upsurge in hospitality and tourism sector, the average occupancy ratio of Oriental Hotels has increased from 55 % to 70 %.
