“This winter, international travel is anticipated to recover at a faster rate than that of domestic travel” MD Hyatt Sharma Sunjae

NEW DELHI: This year, the achche din for hotels in India is expected to improve even more. Domestic travel has driven average daily rate (ADR) and occupancy far above pre-Covid levels, but foreign traffic is predicted to rebound sharply this winter. According to Sunjae Sharma, MD of Hyatt Hotels (India & Southwest Asia), this would further strengthen the local tourism sector. This year, the American hospitality giant plans to boost the number of facilities from 47 to 52, in line with the economic growth of India.

“It will be advantageous when demand from outside resumes. I see just an amazing India narrative for the next four to five years. India is a popular tourist destination worldwide. In order to market the nation as a top travel and business destination worldwide, the government and business sectors are working together, according to Sharma. Based on robust ADRs, revenue per available room increased by 33% in 2023 compared to the previous year.
“Before the COVID pandemic, our percentage of foreign and local visitors was around 35% and 65%, respectively. Nowadays, 85–90% of our visitors come from inside the country. International arrivals have not yet stabilized. Despite this, we have surpassed all pre-Covid levels of occupancy and ADRs because of the surge in domestic travel inside India. The size and quantity of weddings held at our hotels have grown dramatically, according to Sharma. PM Modi’s “wed in India” campaign will further accelerate this. “2023 saw a 200% increase in Hyatt weddings over 2019 and a 50% increase over 2022.”
Similar to other major businesses, Hyatt is concentrating on providing a visitor experience that goes beyond just a hotel stay. Consequently, among the topics that have received a lot of attention are food and beverage as well as health. “Being the biggest is not what we desire. We aim to be at the forefront of the market, the most favored, and present where consumers are going. We will be visiting newly linked cities and states. LLLLW stands for luxury, lifestyle, relaxation, loyalty, and wellness. These are prioritized together with spiritual (destinations). Our hotel in Bodh Gaya, which we just launched, is doing really well. Today’s catchphrase: Hyatt’s portfolio is expanding. We have more than 10,000 keys in the area and will be at 55 hotels in SW Asia, which includes India, according to Sharma.
“This year, we want to build two Hyatt Regency properties: one in Ghaziabad, an expanding business location, and one in Kasauli, a popular tourist destination. and the Hyatt Centric establishments in Kolkata and Bangalore,” he said.
Hyatt’s brand presence grew in India in 2023, with locations opened in Gaya, Vijaywada, Goa, Candolim, and Dehradun. Nine different brands, including Andaz, Alila, Park Hyatt, Grand Hyatt, Hyatt Regency, Hyatt, Hyatt Centric, Hyatt Place, and JdV by Hyatt, will now be part of its portfolio for India and Southwest Asia. Locations including Goa, Kasauli, Ghaziabad, Aurangabad, Haridwar, Kolkata, and Bengaluru have seen recent and impending openings.