IHG Hotels & Resorts has announced an ambitious plan to significantly scale up its presence in India, targeting more than 400 hotels that are open or under development within the next five years. The move highlights the company’s strong confidence in India as one of its most important growth markets globally.
At present, IHG operates over 50 hotels in India and has around 80 properties in the pipeline, together accounting for nearly 12,000 rooms. The proposed expansion will more than triple its existing footprint, driven by rising domestic travel, growing demand for branded accommodation, and increasing interest from hotel owners and developers.
IHG currently operates eight brands in India, covering the luxury, premium and mid-scale segments. These include Six Senses, InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, voco, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Garner and Staybridge Suites. As part of its next growth phase, the company plans to introduce its Vignette Collection, a luxury and lifestyle brand, in India in early 2026.
Elie Maalouf, Global Chief Executive Officer of IHG Hotels & Resorts, said India continues to be a key growth driver for the group. He pointed to strong economic fundamentals, favourable demographics and robust domestic travel demand as factors supporting long-term expansion. According to the company, hotel owners in India are increasingly confident in globally recognised brands that offer strong distribution systems and loyalty programmes.
Sudeep Jain, Managing Director for South West Asia at IHG, noted that India remains an under-penetrated market for branded hotels, creating significant opportunities across both business and leisure destinations. He added that Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express together make up more than 70 per cent of IHG’s current and planned hotels in India, reflecting strong demand in the mid-scale segment.
In recent developments, IHG opened Crowne Plaza Lucknow in May 2025, marking its 50th operational hotel in the country. The group has also signed several new properties under its Garner mid-scale brand in states such as Uttar Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Gujarat and Rajasthan. Expansion of the InterContinental brand is underway in key urban and leisure locations, including Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Mahabalipuram, Kasauli and Kodaikanal.
Also Read: Infosys takes Rs 1,289 crore labour code hit in Q3