RIYADH: India’s Taj Hotels is planning to expand operations in the Middle East in the next 10 years, Puneet Chhatwal, managing director and CEO of the Indian Hotels Company Ltd. was quoted as saying in Khaleej Times. Chhatwal said the luxury hotel chain planned 15 new hotels in the next 10 years, which include at least 5 new properties in Dubai and a new hotel in Makkah. Chhatwal added that all the new hotels which will be opened in the Middle East will carry the name Taj, as the hotel chain aims to emerge as South Asia’s most iconic hospitality company. “In Dubai, our next hotel will be at the Deira Waterfront, and following that will be the next project, which is under development in the holy city of Makkah. We are looking at several destinations in Saudi Arabia and in Doha, Qatar,” Chhatwal told Khaleej Times.