Oberoi Group in talks with Turkey for hospitality venture

Hospitality major The Oberoi Group is in talks with Turkey for a hospitality venture, a top official said.
    
"The Oberoi group has shown interest and is in talks in the hospitality sector in Turkey," Turkish Ambassador to India Levent Bilman said.
    
"The talks have just begun in February and is in the early stage," Bilman told PTI here.
    
The group's parent company, EIH Ltd Vice-Chairman S S Mukherjee, however, did not take a call for reaction.
    
President of Oberoi Hotels & Resorts, Liam Lambert, said, "The Oberoi Group has no project in Turkey. The only activity in Turkey is occasional sales activity and visits to generate business and leisure travel to the group's hotels."
    
Turkish officials said they are expecting to join the European Union making it an attractive choice for investors to invest in their country.
    
Oberoi's existing international properties are in Bali, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.
    
Of the five international properties, the company will open one each in Dubai, Oman and Morocco and two in Abu Dhabi on management contract basis.
    
At present, the company has 17 properties in India and overseas that includes three luxury cruises.
    
Meanwhile, Oberoi Hotels and Resorts plans to add 700 more rooms by 2013, both in India and overseas.
    
Currently, the company has 1,300 rooms in India and 900 in overseas.