There is a huge potential for the MICE segment at Tajview Agra: Sameer Bharadwaj, GM
Set amidst six acres of landscaped gardens, Tajview Agra offers an excellent view of The Taj Mahal. It has been a prefered option for tourists to stay for years in a row now.
In an interview with BW Applause and everythingexperiential.com, Sameer Bharadwaj, General Manager, Tajview, Agra spoke about the unique positioning of the property and how the iconic setting makes it a differentiated experience for travellers.
Excerpts:
What are some of the new experiences that you are curating to meet the demands of today’s customers?
Agra is basically about history and culture. But today it has also become about the things to-do, besides the Taj Mahal. Innovative experiences like sky-dining, wildlife rescue have come up and the tourists enjoy it. Agra is also a center for handicrafts- the work done here is not available anywhere else in the world. So we are creating new experiences keeping these realities in mind.
What is the biggest piece of revenue for Tajview- Weddings, MICE or just tourists?
For this property, primarily the revenue comes from the tourist sector. But we do have other properties of Taj in the city like the Taj Hotel and Convention Center which focuses more on the weddings and the MICE segment.
The Tajview has got the best view of all the hotels and is closest to the monument, hence it attracts more tourists. Also there is a huge potential for the MICE segment at this property.
Agra has become a smart city and the government is also planning to open casinos to engage travelers. The city is also a great destination for people from the nearby cities like Jaipur, Lucknow and Delhi, so in the coming time the demand for MICE specifically will be on the rise.
What are some of the big challenges facing the hospitality sector today?
The macro-economic changes throughout the world have posed certain challenges and affected the tourist numbers. Also the corona virus spread has affected the tourism industry. India specifically has been spared because of quick government intervention. We have seen a downfall in numbers primarily from China and not from anywhere else in the world.
How do you see the role of the Tourism Guild of Agra in promoting Agra as a global destination for travel and tourism?
I think the Tourism Guild of Agra has come up with a great initiative where they have invited bloggers and journalists to experience the place first hand. The entire team has been doing a great job and making efforts to present the city with a different perspective.
