American Marketer

Travel and hospitality

Taj Hotels celebrates India’s independence with a step back in time

August 16, 2017

Image of Taj Mahal Palace and Towers, Mumbai. Image credit: Taj Hotels

 

India's Taj Hotels is transporting visitors back in time this week to celebrate a 70-year milestone.

To commemorate India’s 70th year of independence, Taj will recreate the menu served at the original celebration it held in 1947. The special menu along with Indian tricolor illumination will be present throughout a variety of Taj hotels until the end of the month.

“Taj has been a proud partner in India’s journey for independence. In 1903, our founder Jamsetji Tata built the Taj Mahal Palace hotel as a tribute to India in its journey towards economic and industrial independence,” said Chinmai Sharma, Chief Revenue Officer, Taj Hotels Palaces Resorts Safaris.

Independence day
Aug. 14, 1947 marked the first year in which India celebrated its independence. To commemorate the occasion, the Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai treated its guests to a special meal.

While the meal was rationed due to government regulations, the menu featured three courses while sharing a special entertainment performance. Taj hotels such as The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai, Taj Palace in New Delhi, Chennai’s Taj Coromandel, Taj Bengal in Kolkata, Taj West End in Bangalore and Taj Krishna, Hyderabad will featured the meal.

In celebratory fashion of the country’s year of independence, the meal will be priced at INR 1947, or $30 at current exchange.

One of the staples featured in the menu will be the Poularde Souffle Independence.

In addition to the special menu, the façade of the participating hotels will be illuminated in the iconic Indian tricolor to further the celebration.

All serving and retired Indian Armed Forces personnel will receive a 70 percent discount on the Best Available Rates at Taj Hotels made on Aug. 15 for travel dates up to Oct. 31.

Taj marketing
The Indian Hotels Company Limited underwent a rebrand for all Taj locations, seeing that all properties operate as one brand with clearly defined experiences within four category groupings.

In the past Taj operated as three different brands for its hotels, but that will all change with a new architecture branding that will bring all locations under one name. Now known as Taj Hotels Palaces Resorts Safaris, each hotel will be assigned a specific group and cater to that theme (see more).

Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces also released an updated mobile application in response to its guests’ digital behavior.

Looking to build a seamless experience from research to booking and account management, the app contains all parts of the purchase path. With clientele that is increasingly using mobile to connect, Taj also launched a mobile responsive Web site in 2016 (see more).

“Taj is proud to be a part of 70 years of India’s independence celebration,” Mr. Sharma said.