Newstrack

Trident Hilton now Trident hotel

EH Staff -Mumbai

(L-R): Rattan Keswani with PRS Oberoi and Vikram Oberoi, joint MD of EIH

On the last day of the Hilton-Oberoi strategic alliance PRS Oberoi chairman emeritus of EIH, re-launched the Trident Hilton hotels as Trident hotel. Speaking on the occasion, Oberoi said that all nine Trident Hiltons (located at Gurgaon, Mumbai, Agra, Jaipur, Udaipur, Kochi, Bhubaneshwar and Chennai) will now be rebranded as Trident.

Rattan Keswani, the newly-appointed president of the Trident brand, in his new designation will be responsible for all growth activities of the brand. Talking about the end of Hilton-Oberoi alliance, Oberoi said, "It was not a fallout but a mutual decision made by both parties. Hilton's alliance with a real estate company will only lead to brand confusion in terms of Trident Hilton properties and other Hilton-owned properties."

He also unveiled plans for expansion of the brand. A 436-key Trident hotel at Bandra Kurla, Mumbai is scheduled to open in the last quarter of 2008. A 320-key Trident hotel at the new International Airport Bangalore and a 334-key trident hotel at Cyber City, Hyderabad will be under construction within this year.

The construction of a 200-key Trident hotel at Chandigarh will commence in the last quarter of 2008. "We are exploring opportunities of extending the Trident brand overseas," Oberoi said. Of the total investments going into these projects, he reckoned it to be Rs 1 crore per key. The preferable mode to accrue the investment is to follow the debt and equity plan, he added. EIH plans to own most of its future hotel properties but will also look at management contracts through joint ventures. However, it will not look at any other strategic alliances.