The Gateway Hotels and Resorts, a part of Taj Group of Hotel , has launched its new hotel at Gir, popularly known as a home to Asiatic lions and one of the major tourist destinations in Gujarat. The hospitality major has revived its existing property at Gir forest. The Gateway Hotel Gir Forest, with 28 rooms, is the fourth hotel by the company in the state.

“While the Gir forest needs no introduction, we feel there is a great potential to develop tourism and hospitality here. We have received support and encouragement from the state government and hope to grow and expand in the state,” said PK Mohankumar, chief operating officer, The Gateway Hotel. Stressing the need to make Sasan Gir a round the year tourist destination, he added, “We expect tourists from overseas countries as well as major Indian cities. Apart from Asiatic lions, Gir forest is also a home to the leopard, jungle cat, rusty spotted cat, cheetal, Sambhar, four-horned antelope and the wild boar”

In order to promote and develop Gir as a major tourist destination, there is a need to create infrastructure, transport and air connectivity. It may be mentioned here that Gir also enjoys proximity to various temples such as Somenath, Banej and Kankai temples.With the newly launched property, Gateway Hotels currently has 21 properties spread across India.

"We expect Gateway to be a 50 hotel brand by 2015, what our vision and mission is," he said. "Out of the proposed 22 properties 10 are greenfield hotels which are under various stages of construction and another eleven or so are at various levels of approvals," Mohankumar said. The company with over 2,000 room capacity under the brand Gateway aims to add close to 3,000 rooms by 2015. "The Gateway model typically has 150 rooms which can go upto 200, so say another 3,000 rooms could get added under the brand by 2015," Mohankumar said.

Continuing its efforts to explore new areas, the company is in the process of developing 20 new hotels in India at locations such as Pune, Raipur, Delhi, Shirdi, Kolhapur, Punjab, Chandigarh and Ludhiana to name a few. "We shall come up with new Gateway hotels first in all the metro cities like Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi, Bangalore and Chennai, the first one of which will open in early 2012," he added.