Roots Corporation, the 100 per cent subsidiary of Indian Hotels Company from the Tata Group, is planning to open its low-cost, no-frills 'Ginger' hotels in 30 locations in the country by the year 2007-08.
The company will invest about Rs 350 crore (Rs 3.50 billion) for the roll out in addition to the cost of land, Prabhat Pani, chief executive officer of Roots Corporation, told mediapersons on Thursday.
The company inaugurated its first property in Pune, in the industrial town of Pimpri. This is the sixth Ginger property after Bangalore, Mysore, Thiruvananthapuram, Bhubaneswar and Haridwar.
Pani said the company had strategised the new chain as "smart basics" category, cutting down on the amenities not frequently used by travellers.
"The hotels will have no bellhops, valets or room service, though we will ensure clean, secure and hygienic accommodation," he said. The rooms in Ginger are currently priced at Rs 999 for single occupancy and Rs 1,199 for double occupancy, he informed.
Pani said the company targets "value for money" upper middle-class traveller as well as the cost-conscious international tourist. "We will be present in all places of tourist interest as well as at all the business and leisure destinations."
The company is planning to open Ginger properties at Bangalore, Durgapur and Nashik in the current year (2006-07) he said, adding that the other important places on the card are Mumbai, Nagpur, Aurangabad, Ahmednagar and Hinjawadi - Pune (second) besides a property in the heart of Panaji city in Goa.
Ginger will also be present in all strategic business locations and will pitch for allocation in the special economic zones, Pani said, clarifying that the company has not begun talks with any of the promoters of the proposed SEZs.