The Taj group plans to spread its wings in China. Yesterday, its parent Indian Hotels Company, became the first Indian hospitality group to receive permission to operate hotel properties in China, through its wholly owned subsidiary, Taj International Hong Kong Ltd.

Indian Hotels owns and operates 78 Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces across the world. 

Taj International Hong Kong Ltd yesterday signed a management contract with Cuiting Hotspring Hotel Management Company Ltd, a subsidiary of Zhong Qi International Investment Company Ltd, for the Taj to operate the latter's Temple of Heaven Park property in Beijing and the Hainan Hotel project.

The two hotels will be managed by Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces, for which Beijing Zhong Qi's president Liu Longjiang and Indian Hotels' vice chairman R K Krishna Kumar signed the agreement.

For Indian Hotels, its entry into China is part of what it calls, a "highly selective global expansion plan".

The Beijing property, in close proximity to China's landmark heritage site of The Temple of Heaven, is a deluxe luxury hotel with 46 rooms and is being further developed in the traditional Chinese style to add another 60 rooms.

A key tourist destination, The Temple of Heaven Park, also known as Tiantan Park, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was constructed between 1406 and 1420 and used by Emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties. The following major structures dominate the Temple of Heaven Park – Altar of Heaven, the Echo Wall, Imperial Vault of Heaven and the Hall of Prayer, with architecture inspired by numerology and elaborate symbolism. 

The Zhong Qi Group is also planning to develop a 500-room resort with 40 villas spread across 60 in China's the premium resort destination, Hainan Island. The resort will be located 30km from Sanya City in the upcoming Xiangshui Bay.

The Hainan province, also referred to as the ''Hawaii of the East'', was created in 1998 as a SEZ to initiate development of its natural resources. Possibly, the most premium venue in the country, Hainan has hosted the 2007 Miss World Pageant.

Sanya and Haikou, two major cities in the Hainan province, have attracted major tourist traffic from key source markets such as Russia, Korea and Japan, among others. Sanya is the focus of hotel developments in Hainan and currently has 160 star hotels, of which seven are five star properties and and another 18 have a four star rating.  

''The co-operation agreement for the projects in Beijing Temple of Heaven and Hainan Xiangshuiwan, is a symbolic start  with this first step into the Chinese market,"  said Liu Longjiang. "We are sure this will bring the world-level service standard as well as Indian culture to China. We are confident of future cooperation between the two parties, based on this awareness.''   

Kumar disclosed that China was one of the major tourism hubs worldwide witnessing more than 8 per cent growth year on year with 135 million tourists in 2007.

"With leisure travel contributing to more than half the tourist arrivals, it is critical for Taj to have a presence in this country," he said. "Our tie-up with the prestigious Zhong Qi Group for the Temple of Heaven Park, Beijing and the Hainan project is unique and will be a spectacular symbol of India's association with China,'' he added.
 
For Zhong Qi Group the partnership with Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces is part of its strategy to leverage on the Indian hospitality chain's globally recognised expertise in hotel and resort operations and planning. Indian hotels has followed a differentiated strategy and product philosophy and service design for its Taj Luxury Hotels.

Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces is committed to replicate its domestic success onto international shores with plans to build an international network of luxury hotels, which will provide an exemplary product-service combination and in the process create a global brand.  The current international portfolio includes luxury resorts in the Indian Ocean, business and resort destinations in the Middle East and Africa, serviced apartments in the UK, a hotel in Australia and three top-end luxury hotels in the US.