The Indian Hotels Company Ltd, operator of the Taj brands of hotels, on Monday formed a joint venture with Yunnan Tourism Co Ltd to develop and manage two hotels in China’s Yunnan province.

The hotels will be located at the Kunming Expo Garden in the province. “It’s a major communication and transport hub in China, having good connectivity with the domestic tourism circuit. The entry of Taj and Vivanta by Taj brands in Kunming offers an exciting opportunity to establish the brands in China," said Abhijit Mukerji, executive director, The Indian Hotels Company.

“The company’s presence in Kunming is critical for our selective global expansion plan because of its strategic location with access to key markets, like Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, Bangladesh and Laos."

Taj already has management contracts in place for hotel Taj Temple of Heaven Beijing, in close proximity to the Temple of Heaven Park.