Editors’ Note

Having studied in Berlin, Paris, Lausanne (Switzerland), and at Cornell and Harvard Universities, Raymond Bickson began his career at the Berlin Hilton in 1973. Following worldwide managerial postings – predominantly with Regent International Hotels of Hong Kong and Monaco’s Rafael Group – he joined The Mark in New York in 1988, where he served as Vice President and General Manager until assuming his current post in 2003.

Company Brief

Founded in 1903, Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces (www.tajhotels.com) is recognized as India’s largest and finest hospitality chain. Based in Mumbai and owned by the Tata Group, it consists of more than 60 properties located throughout the subcontinent, as well as in southern Asia, the Middle East, Africa, New York, Boston, and London. In addition to its luxury hotels in India (several of which are members of the Leading Hotels of the World), the group operates business hotels, palace hotels, beachfront resorts, and garden retreats.

Where will the growth of the Taj group come from?

Several high-end hotel chains are making inroads in India, so we’ve concerned ourselves with protecting our market share there. In order to grow, we are looking beyond the borders of India to other international gateway cities. This will be our company’s 105th anniversary. We have a long history of providing Indian hospitality, which is very service-oriented. That service is part of our DNA and we can apply it to properties in other parts of the world, outside of Asia.

Is the Middle East a focus for you, in terms of opening new properties?

Yes. We’re opening a second hotel in Dubai, and opening our first golf resort in Doha. We’re also actively looking at Oman and Abu Dhabi. So that region is a very important part of our strategy.

How about Europe?

We need to increase our presence in continental Europe, and we’ve been looking at ways to enter that market. The prices are high in Europe because the real estate markets are mature. So we need to find the right property to move into.

In the U.S., the Pierre is your flagship property and it has a long and storied history. What are your plans for the Pierre? Where do you see that property going?

In October, we closed the hotel for a year to embark on an $80 million renovation. Even though we have a fantastic location, to be competitive in the New York landscape, the product needs a real lift. We’re going to redo the bathrooms and reduce the number of keys to enlarge the rooms. Essentially, we’re giving it a facelift.

Have you been happy with the development of the Taj Boston?

We’re very fortunate. The location on the corner of Arlington and Newbury is prime for the Boston market. We’re also very careful to be a part of that local community, which is very much a part of the DNA of our company and has been for nearly a century.

You now have a hotel in San Francisco as well. Why did that market seem like a good fit for Taj?

The Campton Place Hotel is a lovely boutique property, and we needed a property on the West Coast. We had been looking at properties in Los Angeles, to cater to the entertainment market and complement our East Coast hotels, but then the Campton Place became available. It’s a very special boutique hotel in a great location. Location is very important to us.

Corporately speaking, are spa services an important part of the Taj offering?

Yes. For example, we currently have a 45,000-square-foot spa in the Taj Exotica in Dubai. The spa is today’s bathrobe; you can’t compete in the market without offering that service. Also, yoga, ayurveda, and aromatherapy come from our part of the world, and we believe it’s imperative that we incorporate those concepts into our offering as well.

Is the Internet driving reservations growth for Taj hotels?

Exponential growth through the Internet is something that has to be a part of everyone’s strategy today, especially when the North American market is about 20 percent Internet-based. We’re only halfway there, and we want to develop a stronger base of Internet-generated business.

Generally speaking, is the hospitality industry still attracting top talent from the world’s colleges and universities?

The travel and tourism industry is the largest employer in the world today, and 10 percent of the global GDP is generated through travel and tourism. The desires of discerning travelers are pushing the growth of luxury hotels around the world. So it’s a great market for young hoteliers today. There are fantastic opportunities globally.

What is the secret to Taj hotels’ highly personalized service?

Given the labor market in Asia, we’re able to provide a high staff-to-guest ratio, and therefore, our guests receive a high level of personalized attention. Ours is a culture of service, and we try to incorporate that mindset into the culture of all of our hotels, especially those outside of India.

After a long career in New York, moving to Mumbai must have been quite a change. Has it been what you expected?

Yes, and even more so. I wake up in the morning and I have to pinch myself. I’m in the middle of one of the most dynamic markets in the world. Being right in the middle of it is a unique opportunity.

After so many years on the frontlines, running hotels yourself, it must be hard to take a step back in your corporate role and be less hands-on.

I will never lose my passion for hotels. It never goes away. That passion is what defines one’s reputation as a hotelier over the course of one’s career.

What are your key priorities for the hotel group in the coming years?

We need to continue tapping into the next generation of economic power in India and China. That younger market eludes us, and we need to establish a presence in it.

Taj Hotels are known for placing a certain degree of importance on sustainable tourism and corporate social responsibility.

It’s very much a part of our group’s philosophy, and it has to be practiced and lived. After practicing it for almost a century now, it’s second nature. Whatever market we’re in, we engage with the community and help it in whatever way we can.