The Indian Hotels Company (IHCL), owner of the Taj Hotels portfolio, is revamping its Ginger brand to appeal to modern travelers. Deepika Rao, IHCL’s executive vice-president for new businesses and hotel openings, discussed the brand’s evolution and strategic approach. Ginger's reimagined offering Indian tourists’ travel options, including leisure and business trips, are growing.
Well-known Indian hotel brands such as the Taj group, the Oberoi, the Leela, and the ITC group, as well as global chains like Marriott, Hyatt, Hilton, and Accor, provide a variety of luxurious experiences. This expansion is fueled by high-end accommodations and increased travel among various age groups and economic classes. One such growing segment in India is the mid-scale segment, which sees a high proportion of travel to India’s government-ranked tier-two and tier-three cities for both work and leisure.
IHCL has introduced a new offering under its Ginger brand, aiming to fill a gap in the market. IHCL operates several brands including Taj, Seleqtions, Gateway, Vivanta, and Ginger, each with its unique positioning and offerings. The evolving story of the Ginger brand Ginger has an intriguing history, dating back to its first iteration as IndiOne in 2004.
This marked the hotel company’s initial venture into the no-frills segment. The Bengaluru-based property served as a pilot project for IHCL and offered valuable insights into meeting the needs of the value-conscious Indian consumer. This .