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Relais & Chateaux, an association of independent luxury boutique hotel properties, today said it is looking to add five new properties as its members in India by 2014 as part of its expansion plan.
"We are looking at adding 5 new properties as members of Relais & Chateaux by end of 2014 and one in Sri Lanka," Relais & Chateaux Chairman of the Board Jaume Tapies told reporters.
The association already has five properties located mainly in Northern and Southern regions as its members in India, he added.
"Right now we are exploring properties in Rajasthan, Delhi, Cochin and beach resorts in South for the expansion of our member properties. We would also like to add unique properties in Kolkata and Darjeeling area," Tapies said.
After the admission, a member benefits from all services that the association can provide including the central reservation and information office, he added.
"For the fiscal year that would end in June 2013, nearly $140 million business will be generated for member properties from our central reservation system," Tapies told PTI.
On being asked how the association raised finances for its functioning, Tapies said: "Depending on the channel used for reservation members pay the association a percentage."
The average rate of per room per night comes to around 375 Euros, he added.
The association takes only individual owner properties as its members as what it looks for membership is 'uniqueness and distinctiveness' of a property.
Relais & Chateaux was created in 1954 with only eight establishments along the road between Paris and the French Riviera. It now has 520 members in sixty countries with average number of rooms in a property at 30.
