Global hospitality major InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) today said it plans to open 135 new hotels in India in the next 10-15 years, taking the total tally to 150 properties.

“We plan to open 135 new hotels in India over the next 10 to 15 years. At present we have 15 hotels in the country,” Douglas Martell, Vice President (Operations) of South West Asia, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), told PTI here.

A big percentage of the new hotels will be under the Holiday Inn Express Brands He added.

“Eighty-eight per cent of the future hotels growth in India will be under these two brands which are mid-scale brands,” Martell said.

Globally, IHG operates nine hotel brands, including InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, Hotel Indigo, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites.

IHG has franchise, management and owned-and-leased models of operations.

When asked about the business model the company will follow for expansion in India, he said: “They will all be managed hotels. This would have a stronger brand control. It is about driving the consistency in the guest experience.”

In long term we would also look at the franchise model in India but that would come later, he added.

On the investments that the company is looking at for the future growth, Martell said: “Though we are open to investments, our model is that we manage the hotels on behalf of the (property) owners. But if there is a strong opportunity we are open to investments.”

The hospitality major is upbeat about the domestic traveller segment in as it believes that is going to be the main driver for growth.

With over 4,600 hotels and nearly 6,79,000 rooms in nearly 100 countries and territories around the world, IHG has a global presence. The global major also has 1,102 hotels in pipeline.

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