Mumbai, June 12: The Tata-owned Taj Group today said it plans to double the number of rooms at its hotels to 13,000 within the next five to six years.

Addressing the 3rd Annual Aviation and Tourism Summit here today, Sumit Guha, group vice-president (development), said the expansion would cover both its luxury and premium class hotels across the country.

India’s blossoming tourism industry has once again turned it into a favoured investment ground for domestic and global hotel majors.

Recently, the Cabana Group announced an investment of close to $1.2 billion to add 100 hotels in India under the international brand, Best Western.

Guha said the group planned to add 1,000 rooms across its hotels in Bangalore. “Work on the project is likely to start by the end of 2008. We have also submitted an expression of interest to the government for a hotel near the Delhi airport,” he added.

Guha said the expansion would be undertaken through fully owned entities or joint ventures.

It would also look at expansion through management contracts.

Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces comprises 59 hotels at 40 locations in India with 17 international hotels in the Maldives, Mauritius, Malaysia, the United Kingdom, the United States, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Africa, West Asia and Australia.

As early as 1974, the Taj opened India’s first international beach resort — Fort Aguada Beach Resort — in Goa. Today, Goa is one of South Asia’s most popular destinations.