Lakshadweep is getting two new luxury hotels as Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) has announced that it will open two new Taj properties on two different islands.
Taj enters Lakshadweep
The two Taj resorts will be situated on the islands of Suheli and Kadmat in Lakshadweep. The Greenfield projects are slated to open in 2026, and will be developed by IHCL.
The Taj at Suheli will feature 110 guest rooms including 60 villas on the beach and 50 water villas. Suheli is a ring-shaped island with a coral reef rim that encircles a lagoon and is rich in marine life.
The Taj at Kadmat will comprise of 75 beach villas and 35 water villas. A coral island with a large lagoon, Kadmat Island, also known as Cardamom Island, is a marine protected area with seagrass beds, which are a nestling ground for marine turtles.
This signing is in line with IHCL’s pioneering spirit, which has put several destinations such as Rajasthan, Kerala, Goa and Andamans on the global tourist map. The sustainability-focused development will aim to create minimal footprint while preserving the fragile eco-system in yet another unexplored location. We see significant potential in Lakshadweep, with its pristine beaches and coral reefs set amongst the Arabian Sea. The two world class Taj resorts will attract international as well as national travellers.
said Puneet Chhatwal, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, IHCL.
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Lakshadweep, India’s smallest Union Territory, is an archipelago of 36 islands in the Arabian Sea, and is known for its scenic beauty with exotic beaches, coral reefs and lagoons. It is a haven for water sports including scuba diving, windsurfing, snorkelling, surfing, water skiing, and yachting.
Maldives of India?
With the arrival of Taj’s resorts, Lakshadweep is getting its first luxury resorts. What’s interesting is that the resorts will also have overwater villas, a thing very popular with the resorts in Maldives. Can it happen that some of the Maldives traffic will be diverted to these resorts? It certainly can. Taj already knows the basics of operating island resorts as it already has two of them in Maldives so it’s not new for them.
In the recent past, there had been a large debate on whether or not to allow these type of island resorts to set up in Lakshadweep in order to boost tourism. It is now clear that the government has allowed the same and the immediate arrival of Taj shows the opportunity these hospitality companies are seeing with regards to tourism in Lakshadweep.
With regards to the resorts, it will be interesting to see the final product when the hotels launch in 2026. I personally am very excited for these new Taj resorts in Lakshadweep as it will probably be the first time in India that these type of “island resorts” are coming up.
Suheli and Kadmat both are located at a significant distance from the main island where the airport is located, that is Agatti. So it remains to be seen whether Taj goes for boat transfers or seaplane transfers for guests to travel to/from Agatti, as that is the main approach point for Lakshadweep.
Meanwhile, IHCL, in August 2022, announced that it will open a new hotel in Ranthambore, Rajasthan.
Featured image by IHCL
What do you think of IHCL coming up with island resorts in Lakshadweep? Let me know in the comments section below.
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