Hyatt Hotels Corporation targets 100 hotels milestone in India over next 5-6 years

New Delhi: Global hospitality major Hyatt Hotels Corporation is confident of nearly doubling its properties in India to 100 hotels over the next five to six years to tap opportunities in one of its top global growth markets, according to a senior company official.

The company is also actively exploring opportunities to introduce additional global brands from Hyatt's portfolio to India, Hyatt Hotels Corporation Managing Director, India & Southwest Asia, Sunjae Sharma told PTI in an emailed interview.

"We are enthusiastic about our expansion plans in India. With our strong pipeline and strategic growth initiatives, we are confident that we will achieve the milestone of 100 hotels within the next 5-6 years," he said.

Sharma said, "This ambitious target is driven by the flourishing travel and hospitality industry in India, the growing demand for high-quality hospitality, and the strong connection our brand has with discerning travellers." He was responding to a query on how many properties and rooms the company is planning to have in India over the next five years.

At present, Hyatt Hotels has 52 hotels in Southwest Asia (50 in India and two in Nepal) across nine distinct brands and already crossed the 10,000 keys milestone.

"We have the third largest portfolio for Hyatt outside the Americas and China. This underscores our commitment to meeting the growing demand for quality hospitality in the region. Our portfolio will continue to expand with legacy brands, such as Hyatt Regency, Hyatt Place, and Hyatt Centric and the introduction of new brands," Sharma said.

On the company's plans to bring other global brands to India, he said, "We are actively exploring opportunities to introduce additional global brands from Hyatt's portfolio to India".

Recently, Hyatt launched the 'Grand Showroom' at the Grand Hyatt Mumbai.

It marks a pivotal step in enhancing the company's business presence in India, Sharma said, adding that "the Grand Showroom addresses the growing demand for hyper-personalised experiences...Overall, the Grand Showroom not only highlights Hyatt's diverse offerings but also reaffirms our commitment to delivering exceptional hospitality experiences in India".

Elaborating on the company's expansion for the near term, Sharma said, "The Hyatt Regency brand, which is a key growth driver for Hyatt in the region, will enter a new destination with the slated openings of Hyatt Regency Kasauli and Hyatt Regency Ghaziabad".

The Hyatt Place brand has entered two new locations in the region, with Hyatt Place Aurangabad and Hyatt Place Haridwar, and is expected to open soon in a new country with Hyatt Place Dhaka Uttara (Bangladesh), he added.

"We are also looking at destinations like Bhopal, where we are bringing another new brand, The Unbound Collection, in 2025," Sharma said.

In 2024, Hyatt Hotels announced a pipeline of eight new properties, with close to 1,200 keys expected to open across various leisure and city destinations by late 2024 and early 2025.

On the potential of the Indian market, he said, "India is among Hyatt Hotels' top global growth markets, and we see tremendous potential for continued expansion in this region".

Over the next five years, he added, "We aim to further strengthen our presence, driven by a focused strategy centred on loyalty, luxury, leisure, lifestyle, and wellness (LLLLW). This approach aligns with the evolving preferences of our target audience and underscores our commitment to meeting their needs across diverse segments".

With the ongoing growth in domestic and international tourism and a robust demand for luxury and wellness experiences, Sharma said, "We are confident that India will continue to climb higher in our global markets ranking".