About Taj

Taj, India’s Strongest Brand across industries and sectors*, is an iconic hospitality brand from
the Indian Hotels Company Limited. The brand continues to be one of the most revered and
loved hospitality brands with a legacy of over 116 years of impeccable service and genuine
warmth. Embodying the spirit of “Tajness”, authentic original palaces, landmark hotels, idyllic
resorts and natural safari lodges interpret the tradition of hospitality in a refreshingly modern
way to create unique experiences and lifelong memories.

*Brand Finance India 100 2020 Reports

Experience a haven of luxury and comfort, ideally located in the middle of bustling cities and
towns.
Forming a major part of IHCL, Taj Hotels are renowned worldwide for their extraordinary
commitment towards providing luxury hospitality. Each of the luxury hotels sets an example of
opulence—born from flavourful local culture and world-class amenities. At Taj, guests from
around the world find comfort in the stately, tastefully designed rooms, offering unhindered
views of the destination, while providing convenient in-room facilities.

Another discerning aspect of Taj is their ability to provide a culinary experience unlike any
other. Many of our award-winning restaurants serve both, as well as the essentially global
cuisine; providing guests with a masterfully balanced taste.

Fulfilling the purpose of a guest’s visit takes top priority at Taj. Be it a significant meeting, a
crucial conference, a much-awaited get-together, or an affair of a lifetime—a wedding; at Taj,
occasions turn into memories. Plush banquets adapt seamlessly to the nature of the event,
while functioning with incredible efficiency and poise, displaying Taj’s spirit of hospitality at its
peak.

Experience India’s majestic old-world charm and rich tradition in stunningly restored living
palace
Taj Palaces
One of the very few things that represent the bygone, royal era are the magnificent structures
in their regal stance—the Grand Indian Palaces. Taj, makes accessible the great Indian culture
and heritage with the restoration of these majestic structures, thus turning them into perhaps
the most authentic, and intimate experience of Indian royalty. Taj Palaces are present across
destinations in India, and bear history dating back as far as 1700 AD.

Residing at Taj Palaces is an experience unlike any other. The arrival of guests is marked by a
unique ceremonial welcome. The sheer magnificence of the architecture of these palaces
transforms even the most casual stroll into an experience encompassing eras. Kingly suites
offering unhindered views of the palace exteriors are adorned with antiques, and restored
masterfully to suit the needs of the modern traveller. For special occasions, these suites can be
completely personalised to the guest’s preferences.

Dining at Taj Palaces is more than just a special culinary experience, it is a journey through time.
Encompassing restaurants that serve dishes made from recipes dating back to the times of the
Nawabs, Rajas, and their royal kitchens; to authentic European cuisine reminiscent of the many
influences India has had upon her.

Experience a haven of luxury and comfort, ideally located in the middle of bustling cities and
towns.

Resorts ensure that a holiday is spent in relaxation, tranquility, and well-being. Taj’s luxury
resorts around the world are uniquely designed, bearing in mind the destination—its ecology,
climatic conditions, and culture heritage. The architecture brings out the essence of the
destination to provide an intimately enriching holiday experience. From villas offering
mesmerising sea views, to traditional aromatic spa therapies, and suites attached with personal
plunge pools; Taj Resorts redefine the meaning and experience of a relaxing holiday.

The signature Jiva Spa is a temple of physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. Relieving guests
from stress caused due to demanding lifestyles through one of the many ancient healing
techniques. From body scrubs and wraps, to Ayurveda therapies, yoga, meditation, and beauty
treatments; Jiva Spa offers authentic therapies that enrich the body, mind, and soul, thus
revitalising guests with a positive energy.

Luxury accommodation is just the beginning of the delightfully relaxing feeling that Taj Resorts
stimulates in its guests. Presidential villas, garden-view suites, rooms with a sunset view and
private pools make for a stay that is refreshing.

Experience a haven of luxury and comfort, ideally located in the middle of bustling cities and
towns

Taj Safaris
India has one of the world’s most biodiverse regions, and is home to a great diversity of wildlife
in its four hotspots—the Western Ghats, the Himalayas, the Indo-Burma region, and the
Sundaland, along with wildlife in protected habitats. As a homage to this natural gift, Taj’s
Luxury Safaris Lodges are designed to provide guests, enthusiasts, or simply seekers of nature
with an enthralling experience of the wild. Located across India and Nepal, these lodges are
situated in National Parks or at close proximity to them. The philosophy of Taj Safaris is to
provide a thrilling wildlife experience while maintaining sustainability by operating on a lighter
carbon footprint. Uplifting the local community while doing so, remains a key aspect of the
philosophy.

Highly trained naturalists and local experts guide guests on a journey of trails, animal-spotting,
and other similar adventures. Breakfast is served in the woods in a different location every day,
while other unique fine-dining experiences with farm-to-fork concepts make this holiday
unforgettable

Operates in the luxury, premium, mid-market and value segments

•
Taj
(luxury full-service hotels, resorts and palaces)
 – 
Spanning world-renowned landmarks
 – 
modern business hotels
 – 
idyllic beach resorts
 – 
authentic Rajput palaces
 – 
rustic safari lodges
•
Taj Exotica
 
 – 
resort and spa brand found
 – 
properties are defined by the privacy and intimacy
 – 
environment allows unrivalled comfort and privacy
 – 
impeccable service and authentic Indian Spa sanctuaries
Land Bank

 The Taj Group currently has more than 900 acres of land at strategic locations

In India, across 26 sites

 This landbank has been acquired over a period of time in the past and would

Beneficially impact project viability/feasibility of new developments on such

Sites

 Alternatively, the landbank represents a significant means of options to create

Liquidity, where owned

 The Taj Group is currently evaluating strategic options to efficiently leverage

The value creation potential in its land bank and project time lines.

Opportunities

Among the strengths showcased by Taj hotel:

The Group strives on building a stellar empowerment culture. They place a strong emphasis
on an organisational value where employees put customers’ needs above everything else.
This customer-centricity has developed an army of heroes, the likes for which is truly
unparalleled. Their stakeholders’ courage was featured in news headlines during the Mumbai
terrorist attack crisis. Employees were committed to saving the lives of the customer instead
of their own, displaying customer centricity in its extreme value.

Aspiration 2022 is a strategic priority plan drawn to drive the company forward. It is based on
three “Rs” – Re-structure, Re-engineer and Re-imagine. The strategic plan encapsulates all
stakeholders with key priorities, including monetisation and divestments, technology
expansion, brandscape management, and portfolio multiplication.
Best practices
Employee experience

1. Value-driven recruitment – Taj Hotels has a longstanding tradition of hiring their frontline employees
from small and semi-urban areas of India. The Group believes that this is where wholesome traditional
Indian values can be found to this day, including respect for the elderly, humility, discipline, and
honesty. In return, this value-specific workforce has helped Taj make their CX aspiration a reality.
2. Empowerment of employees through extensive training – Every employee goes through an 18-month
training period, instead of the usual 12-month offered by most hotels. Under the program, employees
are guided through mentors, as well as classroom and on-the-job training. Emphasis is placed on
technical skills, hygiene factors, and customer management. The training aims to produce highly
empathic employees that can provide a seamless and personalised customer experience.
3. Boosting motivation through recognition – The heart of delighted customers lies with satisfied
employees. With that in mind, Taj Hotels created STARS (Special Thanks and Recognition System),
which links customer delight to employee rewards. Through the system, points are collected on
compliments from guests and colleagues, leading to an award for their outstanding service.

Digital experience

1. Zero-touch economy – IHCL has rolled out a new system across its hotel chains, the IHCL Zero-
Touch Service Transformation (I-ZEST). The system enables touchless services and interfaces with
customer safety in mind. I-ZEST’s digital features ensure that guests can have secure and seamless
engagement, ranging from digital invoicing and online payments to QR codes for restaurant menus.
2. Mobile-first hotel – Taj has implemented keyless room entries to expand on the hotel’s frictionless
experience. With mobile technologies such as Bluetooth 4.0 and the Taj mobile app, customers can
now access their room with an in-app room key. This frugal innovation has made the customer
journey easier, as it removes concerns usually raised with a physical key, such as loss or key
recognition failure.

Brand experience

1. Fostering brand partnership to expand customer base – In 2016, The Taj Group and Shangri-La joined
forces to offer the best of both worlds to their customers via a loyalty-led programme known as
Warmer Welcome. Through this partnership, customers can enjoy collecting and converting points
 between the hotels. Additionally, they enjoy benefits across 200 hotels and 131 destinations
worldwide.
2. Empowering community – In the aftermath of the terrorist attack in 2008, Taj Hotel established the
Taj Public Service Welfare Trust (TPSWT) with the purpose to support individuals and communities
affected by disasters. TPSWT has contributed INR 10 million (USD 0.14 million) towards the Kerala
and Kodagu flood relief in 2018. The Group ensures continuity in the founder’s social legacy and aids
communities with the motto “Giving Back to Society” on the forefront.
3. Empowering employees to deliver CX aspirations should be a business’ strategic focus. There is
intense competition among enterprises to elevate their customer experience, either through services,
products, or processes. To materialize their CX aspirations, companies need to first empower their
employees. In the case of Taj Hotels, value-driven recruitment, extensive training, and appropriate
recognition have helped build an outstanding experience for their guests.
4. The post-COVID future lies in a contactless economy. Customer experience is now an integral part of
any business’ decision-making process. Taj Hotels was swift in navigating the pandemic by putting
CX at the heart of their product innovations. The Group has introduced multiple mobile and
contactless solutions, making guest experience both secure and seamless.
5. Businesses need to connect brands to the people – The pandemic has catalysed a major shift in
customer consumption, behaviour, and expectation. Similarly, businesses should switch focus from
their shareholders to stakeholders. Customers also tend to lean towards brands that contribute towards
the greater good, which in turn translates to strengthened brand loyalty.