Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces announced the second phase of their brand architecture exercise with the roll-over of 19 hotels to their new brand, Vivanta by Taj Hotels and Resorts, slotted in the 5-Star Upper Upscale segment. The announcement was made at a gala event at the brand's marquee hotel, Vivanta by Taj - Whitefield, Bangalore. This follows the highly successful launch of their Upscale brand - The Gateway Hotel - exactly two years ago. Showtime Events was mandated to handle the two events for announcing the launch in Bengaluru.

 

It is understood that smaller scale events are scheduled at the other re-branded properties in the coming weeks. The name ‘Vivanta' draws inspiration from the term ‘bon vivant', signifying sophistication and appreciation for the good things in life and also from the attributes of vividness and vivacity. This was the theme chosen for the gala launch event as well.

 

Michael Menezes, Managing Director, Showtime Events, said, "Working on the theme, we had two entertainment acts that communicated the brand values in an engaging manner with the audience. With the aid of Ventuz technology, choreographer Anamika Singh managed to drive home the brand values using dance steps and digital animations. We also had a high-energy performance by Indian Fernando Ballet Company (IFBC) for the event."

 

Commenting on the new brand, Raymond N Bickson, MD and CEO, Indian Hotels Company Limited, spoke of enabling the group to grow faster and ensuring that the company has a strong presence across the key hospitality segments. He said, "This brand is a testament to the dynamism and innovation that the Taj is known for. It supports the company's stated objective of achieving growth through domestic dominance."

 

Ajoy Misra, Senior Vice President - Sales and Marketing, Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces, explained the company's rationale for having a basket of brands, each created to appeal to a distinct psycho-graphic segment and detailed the fine level of planning that had gone into conceptualising the brand with its unique experiences and touch-points. IHCL worked with global branding consultants Landor on understanding the strategic imperatives as well as developing the design signature for the brands.

 

Speaking about the evolution of the brand and its spirit, Misra elaborated, "Vivanta by Taj Hotels and Resorts are positioned in the Upper-Upscale segment, flanked by Taj in the top-end Luxury segment and The Gateway Hotel in the Upscale segment. Our brand journey, which started a few years ago, continues today with our portfolio consisting of clearly demarcated brands each having a distinct identity, values and experiences."

 

Sixteen erstwhile Taj Hotels joined the three existing Vivanta by Taj hotels to create a brand which has an inventory of nearly 2500 rooms. A press note from the Hotel Group informed that an aggressive expansion program is already in place which will see the brand grow organically to more than 30 hotels with over 5000 rooms over the next two years.

 

The press note informed that the Group has created Vivanta after a series of extensive customer understanding studies. Vivanta by Taj Hotels and Resorts are slated to appeal to the cosmopolitan global traveler who appreciates new experiences and pleasant surprises, rather than the typical hotel stay experience.