Corporates look for options as Taj, Oberoi out of bounds

Corporate houses in the financial hub may now have to look elsewhere to hold conferences and company meetings after Taj and Oberoi have become out of bounds in the face of the terror attack and subsequent security beef-up.

"Other hotels like Marine Plaza or Intercontinental in South Mumbai may get a bigger slice of the pie now that Taj and Oberoi, the number one and two options are out of the question. Corporates also have the option of holding press conferences and board meetings within their own premises," Ogilvy and Mather public relations partner Lalitha Iyer said.

Corporates can hold press meets at various standalone banquet halls, she said, adding that there would definitely be some inconvenience.

"The impact will certainly be felt.... The free-for-all movement will stop since everybody is concerned about security now. While it is very convenient to attend a conference in one of the south Mumbai hotels, travelling to the central and northern parts of the city would cause inconvenience to the journalists," Adfactors Group Chairman Rajesh Chaturvedi said.

Other less preferred hotels such as the ITC or new ones like the Four Seasons at Worli in the central part of the city would be more than happy to receive the business that will come their way now, he said.

"There is nothing anyone can do about the inconvenience and the media also understands. There are other options where firms can have conferences. There is the CII club, the Press Club.... With regard to stepping up security at hotels, it is better to be safe than to be sorry," public relations firm Hanmer & Partners Managing Director Sunil Gautam said.