IHG Hotels and Resorts to add 39 hotels in India in next 2-3 yrs

IHG Hotels & Resorts has 39 hotels in India across four brands. "In the next 2-3 years, we plan to add another 39 hotels to our portfolio in India, which means our portfolio will grow by 100 per cent, by number of hotels, in the coming years," IHG Hotels & Resorts, South-West Asia Managing Director, Sudeep Jain told PTI. IHG is well-positioned to capitalise on the market demand and is meaningfully expanding its presence across key markets in the country with new signings and openings, he added.

"We currently have 39 hotels in India, across four brands. To cater to our luxury guests, we have 2 InterContinental Hotels & Resorts in Mumbai and Chennai. In the upscale segment, we have ten Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts across key markets such as Delhi, Gurgaon, Noida, Kochi, Chennai, Pune, Ahmedabad and Jaipur etc," Jain said. In line with market demand, the company has a strong presence in the mainstream category and has 27 hotels across its Holiday Inn Hotels & Resorts and Holiday Inn Express brands, he added. When asked about the brands under which the new hotels will come up, Jain said, "Our current pipeline is quite robust with 29 hotels under the Holiday Inn brand family. It comprises 70 per cent of our current pipeline. We also have hotels coming up under our luxury brand InterContinental, premium brand Crowne Plaza and our long stay brand Staybridge Suites which was a recent debut". Additionally, later this year, IHG will be opening its first Six Senses hotel in India which will be a luxury property located in Rajasthan, he added. "Our global brands like Regent Hotels and Resorts, Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants and voco Hotels have potential in India, and we look forward to introducing these brands with the right partners, at the right location and the right time," Jain said.

On being asked about the business model the company follows, Jain said, "Across the globe, including in India, we follow an asset-light strategy which enables us to grow our business whilst generating high returns on invested capital". Whether IHG franchises or manages hotels is largely dependent on market maturity, owner preference and, in certain cases, the particular brand. IHG''s preferred model in India is to manage hotels. However, the company is open to partnering with the owners on both franchise and managed models, he added. When asked about the investments IHG will be making for the expansion, Jain said, "We follow an asset light business model, therefore, investment in assets is covered by our owners. However, we invest in our brands, our technology, tools and solutions that make the biggest difference to our guests, owners and teams, our loyalty offer and our talent to deliver the right experiences to guests."

On the outlook for the hospitality sector in India, he said despite the numerous challenges and interruptions posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, the outlook for the tourism and hospitality sector in India continues to remain strong. "We have been witnessing a marked improvement in consumer confidence and overall sentiment, leading to surge in enquiries as well as bookings at our hotels. Our owners too share our confidence in our brands and want to invest in them as they recognise the long-term prospects of the sector," Jain said. The growth of the tourism and hospitality sector in India has been primarily driven by domestic demand. Furthermore, with international movement still being restricted, domestic tourism is gaining even more traction, he added. "For us, domestic business has always been crucial, and it features prominently in our long-term business strategy for the country," Jain said.