Industry Odisha Bureau, Sep 06: India’s hotel industry is drawing a fresh wave of interest. New international brands are evaluating or entering the market. Existing operators are simultaneously widening their portfolios. Luxury and lifestyle concepts feature prominently in this activity. The scale of brand entries appears unusually broad currently.
Singapore-based Banyan Tree is seriously evaluating India opportunities. People familiar with the matter shared this detail. The luxury chain did not respond to queries. Separately, Ireland-based Kerten Hospitality announced its India entry in March. It initially plans around 1,000 keys for expansion.
Thailand-based Dusit made its India comeback last year. Hyatt is meanwhile scouting locations for a boutique brand. That brand is Standard, acquired through a larger deal. Hyatt bought Standard International for $335 million in 2024. Both moves signal renewed interest in India’s lifestyle segment.
Bigger global names are also adding brands here. Marriott International plans to introduce Marriott Marquis locally. It will pair this with mid-scale brand City Express. Hilton, meanwhile, is working on Waldorf Astoria launches. These additions span both luxury and big-box categories.
Marriott has already expanded once this cycle. It launched Series by Marriott globally last year. That rollout came through a deal with Concept Hospitality. IHG Hotels & Resorts is entering with Kimpton. The brand arrives via a May deal with Adani Airport Holdings.
Domestic hospitality companies are moving in parallel. ITC Hotels unveiled Epic Collection last October. The brand targets growth in the premium segment. Chalet Hotels launched ATHIVA Hotels & Resorts last year. Savaji Hotels incubated Altara, a luxury vertical. Altara focuses specifically on wedding and MICE demand.
Taken together, these moves show growing market segmentation. Luxury, premium, lifestyle and mid-scale brands are multiplying. Wedding-focused and MICE-oriented hospitality are also expanding. International and domestic players are both contributing to this shift.
Not every announcement means immediate operational impact, though. Several brands remain at evaluation or planning stages. Locations, timelines and property counts are still emerging. Announced entry does not guarantee near-term hotel openings.
Nandivardhan Jain offered useful context on this wave. He is founder and CEO of NOESIS Hotel Advisors. Jain called 2025 and 2026 a “widest wave.” He compared it to India’s 2007-2010 hospitality cycle. He described new-brand growth in India as “steep.”
The breadth of this activity stands out. Rarely have so many brands moved simultaneously. Whether this translates into completed properties remains to be seen. For now, India’s hospitality landscape is visibly diversifying.
