Taj is the world’s strongest hotel brand, two times in a row
What comes to mind when you hear the term Taj? It’s Mumbai’s Taj Mahal Palace, isn’t it? Known for its rich heritage, grandeur and five-star status, Taj isn’t just a luxury hotel. It’s a brand in itself. It’s also lauded as a patriotic symbol as it was among the main sites targeted in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. And there’s more... It has left an indelible mark on pop culture—from featuring in Hollywood filmmaker Christopher Nolan’s film Tenet to finding frequent mentions in distinguished author Jeffrey Archer’s best-selling novels, its influence is undeniable..
And it has just added another feature to its cap! The global brand valuation consultancy, Brand Finance, in its ‘Hotels 50 2022’ annual report has recognised Taj, which operates as a subsidiary of the Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL), as the world’s strongest hotel brand.
Here’s what we know about Taj’s latest extraordinary achievement.
How did Taj manage to win the distinction of being the world's strongest hotel brand?
Well, as it turns out, Taj was ranked 88.9 out of 100 for its overall Brand Strength Index (BSI). It also received an AAA rating for its world-class customer service, employee satisfaction and corporate reputation. Taj has especially stood out for making an impressive recovery after the pandemic-induced lockdowns hit the hotel industry badly. To this end, Taj formulated as well as implemented its R.E.S.E.T 2020 strategy—a transformative framework—to cater to the needs of tourists, once the world opened up to the new normal.
Some brands that Taj beat to emerge as the strongest include Premier Inn, Hilton Hotels and Resorts, Embassy Suites Hotels, JW Marriot and Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, and W Hotels Worldwide. Being recognised as the world’s strongest hotel brand twice consecutively has benefitted Taj Hotels immensely—they’re brand value has increased by 6%!
While Taj is regarded as the world’s strongest hotel brand, Hilton Hotels and Resorts was declared as the most valuable hotel brand, with a valuation of $12 billion.
About the Taj brand
Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) and its subsidiary hotels and businesses have attained top-class status by seamlessly blending traditional Indian hospitality and a world-class service. Currently, IHCL runs 221 hotels across 4 continents. Among these, Taj happens to be India’s strongest hospitality brand, and now of course, the world’s as well. Established by Jamshedji Tata, the founder of the distinguished Tata Group in 1903, Taj was not only IHCL’s first hotel brand, but also the first hotel in Bombay.