Hilton eyes expansion in India, plans to open 18 hotels by 2021

Global hotel chain Hilton is planning to open 18 hotels across India by 2021 as it is quite bullish about the growth prospects in the Indian hotel landscape.

The US-based hospitality chain already has 15 operating hotels in India with over 2,400 rooms under its five brands -- Conrad, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, DoubleTree by Hilton, Hilton Garden Inn and Hampton by Hilton.

"We are planning to add another 18 hotels by 2021 in India. It is a very strategic market for us and we continue to explore other opportunities across the country," Hilton Head of Operations-India Andre A Gomez told PTI.

The new hotels will be across the country, including localities such as Bengaluru, Lucknow, Goa, Ahmedabad and Mumbai, he added.
Gomez talked about tourism upside in India as it is a fast growing market with a growing middle class and tax reforms.

Asked under which brands the company will operate the upcoming hotels, Gomez said, "They will be under the brands that we already have in the country. We will have a brand to suit the location."

The hotels will be under the management contract model as that is the core of the company's business, he added.

On investment in new properties, he said it will be mostly in training, expertise, network and reservation system as the hotels will not be owned by Hilton.

Identifying the mid-market segment as a big opportunity, Gomez said "the luxury segment also remains very important".

Hilton is one of the largest hospitality companies in the world, with more than 4,900 properties comprising over 8,00,000 rooms spread across 104 countries and territories.

Globally, it has a portfolio of 14 brands, including Hilton Hotels & Resorts brand, Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Canopy by Hilton, Tapestry Collection by Hilton, DoubleTree by Hilton, Tru by Hilton, and Homewood Suites by Hilton, among others.