South Korea’s premier 5-star hotel group, The Shilla Hotels & Resorts, has formed a strategic marketing alliance with India’s Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces, one of Asia’s largest and finest group of hotels. The…
South Korea’s premier 5-star hotel group, The Shilla Hotels & Resorts, has formed a strategic marketing alliance with India’s Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces, one of Asia’s largest and finest group of hotels. The two prestigious brands plan to develop cross-promotional opportunities to harness each other’s strengths and dominance in their respective markets.
Shilla, an affiliate company to the Samsung Group and member of The Leading Hotels of the World, is renowned as South Korea’s leading hotel group, with two luxury 5-star properties. There are 15 hotels in the Taj Luxury Hotels portfolio, which is part of the Tata Group, India`s premier business house.
In India they include the historic The Taj Mahal Palace & Tower in Mumbai, which has just celebrated its centenary, as well as the Rambagh Palace in Jaipur, Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur and Taj Lake Palace in Udaipur. Hotels and resorts outside India include the Taj Exotica Resort & Spa in the Maldives, 51 Buckingham Gate in London, Taj Exotica Resort & Spa in Mauritius and The Pierre in New York.
The Shilla-Taj partnership will provide guests with a total of 17 hotels offering not only high-quality service but also distinct experiences in unique destinations, said Mr. Man-So Lee, President & CEO of Hotel Shilla Company Limited.
Under the alliance, Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces and The Shilla Hotels will develop reciprocal and joint marketing activities that include joint participation in trade shows, sales events, culinary promotions and niche marketing programmes.
The companies will assist each other in exchanging sales leads and conducting road shows across India and Korea. Their respective newsletters and websites will communicate news to a larger client base.
“This alliance will support and enhance both The Shilla and Taj Hotels brands in different parts of the world,” said Mr. Lee.
“The alliance comes at the most opportune time when India’s tourist industry is booming due to a rush of foreign tourists into the country and increased travel by Indians to domestic and overseas destinations.”
“By creating an alliance with an India-based hotel company with properties that have similar brand positioning and quality of customer service to our own, we offer our guests reciprocal privileges and benefits.”
Mr. Raymond Bickson, Managing Director & CEO, The Indian Hotels Company Limited, said: “This is a win-win alliance for both companies providing the opportunity to work with The Shilla to create greater awareness of the Taj brand in Korea, which is one of our key markets. This alliance will bring in a synergistic approach to the marketing efforts of two of Asia’s finest hospitality brands.”
Meanwhile, Shilla is in expansionist mode, having just exported the brand beyond South Korea for the first time with the management contract to operate the new 5-star The Shilla Suzhou in China, opening in July 2006.
Announcing the deal, Mr. Lee said The Shilla would “continue to explore opportunities to develop and export the brand”.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
