Mumbai, Sept. 4: Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces has joined hands with Okura Hotels & Resorts, one of the international hotel groups in Japan, to explore joint promotional opportunities and leverage each other’s strengths.

A common loyalty programme has been worked out by the hotels under the terms of the joint marketing alliance that was signed today.

Members of the Taj loyalty programme — Taj Inner Circle — can avail themselves of the facilities of Okura Club, the loyalty scheme of the Japanese hotel. The alliance extends to reservations, with a Okura customer booking a Taj room and vice versa.

These facilities are for select hotels of Taj and Okura. Some of the Taj hotels in the alliance are Taj Mahal Palace & Tower, Mumbai, Taj Mahal, Delhi and Taj Boston.

The Okura hotels include Hotel Okura in Tokyo, Kobe and Amsterdam. Taj and Okura have also prepared a staff exchange programme for training.

At the signing of the deal, Raymond Bickson, managing director and CEO, Indian Hotels Company, said, “This is certainly a win-win alliance for both companies. It will give us the opportunity to work with the Okura network to create greater awareness of the Taj brand in Japan, which is one of our key markets. This alliance will bring in a synergistic approach to the marketing efforts of two of Asia's finest hospitality brands.” Promoted by the Tatas, Indian Hotels Company and its subsidiaries are collectively known as Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces.

Rights offer

Indian Hotels today informed stock exchanges that its board has decided on a rights offer of two simultaneous but unlinked issues.