Taj Hotels to answer call of the wild, lines up $4m investment

BANGALORE: Taj’s group expansion plans appear to be in full swing not just globally but also in the domestic market. Taj Hotels Palaces & Resorts is now foraying into wildlife tourism with the launch of two planned lodges in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve and Pench National Park in Madhya Pradesh.

Taj group has floated an equal partnership joint venture with an African ecotourism company, Conservation Corporation Africa (CC Africa) and Nepal based firm Cigen Corporation to target the unexplored tiger circuit in Madhya Pradesh and Uttaranchal.

The hospitality major has planned to establish five wilderness lodges up North. Two of the five lodges, the Mahua Kothi lodge located in Bandhavgarh national park and Baghvan lodge in Pench National Park in MP will become operational by November ’06 and January ’07, respectively.

Other three lodges, which will come up in the Kanha tiger reserve and Panna tiger reserve in MP and Corbett tiger reserve in Uttaranchal are expected to become operational by October, ’07.

Speaking to ET, Nicky Fitzgerald, marketing director, CC Africa said, “There is huge potential for these lodges as India is a great wildlife destination — totally undersold.

The luxury, adventure travel market is almost outgrowing the available product. And also, the return on investment looks excellent due to the low cost of entry and the high rates achieved.”

Total investment for the five lodges is pegged at around $4m. “$2.8m on Mahua Kothi and Baghvan, and $1m will be invested in the remaining three projects. This is a lower investment by Taj-CCAfrica joint venture due to different structure as the other three planned lodges will be leased,” adds Mr Fitzgerald.

Sources say that the Taj group is also in talks with the government of Andaman & Nicobar islands for setting up a hotel there. Taj group declined to comment, when contacted.

Considering that there are no five star hotels in Andaman & Nicobar apart from a luxury property run by the ITC-Welcomgroup in Port Blair, the island is a potential.