Chennai: Keralas largest hotel chain, Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC), is planning to build a three-star hotel in the heart of Chennai. Incidentally, this will be the first KTDC property outside Kerala. The proposed six-floor hotel, with an outlay of Rs 9 crore, will be built on the Kerala governments property in Chennai.

Says KTDC managing director Dr K Elangovan: We will soon float a tender calling for private participation for the Chennai project. Our idea is to restrict our holdings in the project to 26 per cent. KTDC has floated a wholly-owned subsidiary, Tourist Resorts (Kerala), to enter into joint venture projects.

Already Tourist Resorts has inked joint venture deals with Taj and Oberoi groups. While the Taj joint venture, Taj Kerala Hotels, is up and running, work on the Oberoi project is soon to start. Along with the Oberois, Tourist Resorts is promoting three properties in Kerala.

Elangovan says Tourist Resorts will not hold more than 33 per cent in any of its joint ventures. It owns 33 per cent in Taj Kerala Hotels and 26 per cent in Oberoi Kerala Hotel. We my increase our stake to 33 per cent in Oberoi Kerala Hotel.

KTDC is also planning to build a four-star hotel in Kochi at an outlay of Rs 12 crore. Currently, KTDC has 57 properties in Kerala that includes wayside hotels, four-star properties and heritage resorts.

KTDC, in an attempt to lure tourists to Kerala, has announced three attractive tourist packages: Value Vacations, starting at Rs 3,266 (economy package linking all the budget hotels); Exclusive Escapades (linking all four-star properties-base package for Rs 12,375); Age Halt, an ayurvedic rejuvenation package for prices starting from Rs 24,000 and going up to Rs1.46 lakh.

The revised rates are the most competitive travel plans offered by any state in the country. This has come in the wake of Goa reducing its package rates. However, Kerala tourism officials say the tourist arrivals are not affected because of the 11 September terror attacks. According to officials, the new package is to attract domestic tourists to Kerala.

KTDC is considering reopening of its beer parlours that where closed last year. The closure of 23 beer bars has impacted its revenue by nearly Rs 3 crore. As regards management of our properties, we intend to outsource some of the services like hotel management initially, says Elangovan.