The Indian Hotels (Taj group) announced the opening of the first international gateway hotel, with the rebranding of the Taj Airport Garden Hotel in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Announcing the opening of the new property, Gateway Hotel group COO, P.K. Mohan Kumar, said that Colombo Gateway was the 21st hotel in the chain, which aimed at upscale market (mid-market). As many as 17 more hotels will come up under the brand. “By 2015, we will be a 50 hotel brand. That is our medium term goal,” he said.

The Gateway brand was launched in September 2008. Right now, the hotel had 2,000 rooms across India (and now, Sri Lanka), and had been operating with 70 per cent occupancy since the first day of operations, he said.

The Taj Airport Garden Hotel is located in a 38 acre property in Seeduwa, which is 10 minutes away form the airport and located right next to one of the largest lagoons in the country. The Indian Hotels bought the property about 25 years ago and has 113 rooms and suites.

Taj came to Sri Lanka about three decades ago, and is the only international chain with three properties – the Taj Airport Garden, the Taj Samudra and the Taj Exotica Bentota.

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