On my last visit to Mumbai, I stayed at the Taj Mahal Palace, the scene of the atrocities last last year, I'd stayed there previously and I was anxious to see how the the hotel had recovered. The hotel reopened 268 rooms in the main tower at the end of December with the rest of the hotel to open in phases over the course of the year.
The Indian Governement have plans to try and double the number of international arrivals over the next two years from 5m to 10m and are looking to fill an identified shortfall in rooms. With the Governments help, hoteliers seem bullish about their plans for the future and are confident they can overcome fears of the security and recession.
India hosts the Commonwealth Games in Dehli in 2010 and tax incentive schemes have been devised to encourage hotel projects in Dehli and other cities. Several of the larger hotal groups have announced ambitious growth plans; in Mumba, Sofitel, Westin and Oberoi are building, the Marriott Renaissance is adding an additional 300 rooms.
And in September, Kingfisher (yes, as in the beer) launched a Heathrow-Bangalore service alongside the existing services from Air India, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and Jet Airways.
Slumdog Millionaire may have cleaned up at the BAFTA and may succeed in the Oscars, but India will be the real winner.
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