Hotels and Hospitality in India
The Taj Story
How Jamsetji Tata opened the Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai in 1903, how the Taj grew into India's largest hotel group, and how it recovered after the 2008 attacks.
The Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai opened in 1903.
The founding story
Jamsetji Tata built the hotel, reportedly partly because he wanted to give India a world-class hotel open to Indians, at a time when some European establishments excluded them. The story’s details are debated, but the hotel became a landmark.
Growth
- Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL), a Tata company, manages the Taj brand.
- It expanded to palace hotels in Rajasthan, like the Lake Palace in Udaipur and Rambagh Palace in Jaipur, converting royal palaces into luxury hotels.
- Brands now include Taj, Vivanta, SeleQtions and Ginger.
The 2008 attacks
In November 2008, terrorists attacked the Taj Mahal Palace and other sites in Mumbai. The hotel reopened within weeks and was fully restored, and staff bravery became famous.
Brand strength
Taj has been rated among the world’s strongest hotel brands by Brand Finance.
Expansion
IHCL has grown to hundreds of hotels in India and abroad, using a mix of owned and managed properties.
A former royal palace in Rajasthan, costly to maintain, becomes a Taj luxury hotel, earning revenue while preserving heritage.
The Taj opened in 1903, long before global chains arrived.
- The Taj Mahal Palace opened in Mumbai in 1903.
- IHCL grew into India's largest hotel group.
- Palace hotels combined heritage and luxury.
- The Taj recovered strongly after the 2008 attacks.
No recording for this one yet - EconReader can read it aloud for you.