Newstrack

Jersey looking at investments from Indian hotel chains

Dinkar Farwaha - Mumbai

Jersey, an island situated off the coast of Normandy, France is in talks with India-based premium hotel chains like Taj hotels resorts and palaces and Oberoi hotels and resorts to set up properties there. In an exclusive interview with Express Hospitality, Senaton Philip Ozouf, minister for economic development, Ozouf said, "There are exciting opportunities for Jersey in financial services and intellectual property. India is a very exciting market seeing significant growth, and along with China is becoming an economic superpower of the future. We are in the country not only to strengthen our relationships, but also to drive more institutions and businesses to the island."

Ozouf added, "Hospitality is a very significant sector for us. The number of tourists visiting Jersey is on the rise. There is an enormous potential for the premium and first-class category of hotels and therefore we are in talks with Indian hotel chains like Taj and Oberoi to foray into the island." To attract hotel investors from India, the government of Jersey, according to Ozouf, is willing to offer lower tax benefits and various incentives

Ozouf came to India with a delegation of states officers from Jersey, which included the chief executive of economic development, Mike King, director of international trade, Wayne Gallichan, Martin de Forest Brown, the state's international finance director and Geoff Cook, chief executive of Jersey Finance.