Finance
Holiday Inn-owner IHG sees India as top-five market as global chains scale up
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on February 28, 2026
2 min readLast updated: February 28, 2026
Quick Summary
IHG projects India will become one of its top‑five global markets, aiming to expand from ~50 current hotels and ~80 in development to over 400 combined (open and pipeline) within five years. This is driven by India’s rapidly growing hospitality sector, forecast to nearly double in value by 2031.
IHG Sees India as Top-Five Market as Global Hotel Chains Expand Rapidly
Global Hotel Chains Accelerate Expansion in India
By Nathan Gomes and Praveen Paramasivam
IHG's Ambitious Growth Plans
PANAJI, Feb 27 (Reuters) - UK's InterContinental Hotels Group expects India to become one of its top-five global markets within years, a senior executive said on Friday, as international hospitality brands accelerate expansion across the world's most populous country.
India as a Game-Changer
"It (India) is like a game-changer. It's an infinite market in a sense," Sudeep Jain, managing director for South West Asia at IHG, told Reuters on the sidelines of the Hospitality Overview Presentation & Exchange conference in Goa.
Current and Future Hotel Portfolio
IHG, whose brands include Holiday Inn and Avid Hotels, currently operates around 50 hotels in India with roughly 80 in development.
The British group said in January it aimed to grow its combined open and pipeline portfolio within the country to more than 400 properties within five years. Globally, IHG operates over 6,900 hotels, with about two-thirds in the Americas.
India's Hospitality Sector Outlook
Market Forecast and Growth Drivers
India's hospitality sector is forecast to nearly double to $55.7 billion by 2031 from $23.5 billion in 2025, according to consultancy Mordor Intelligence, driven by population growth, rapid urbanisation and rising travel demand from both affluent and budget consumers.
Competition Among Global Hotel Chains
Expansion Plans by Other Major Brands
IHG is not alone in its ambitions.
Hyatt and Hilton's Strategies
Hyatt Hotels Chief Executive Mark Hoplamazian said the chain expects to quintuple its India footprint over five years. Hilton Worldwide has separately announced plans to quadruple its pipeline of hotel rooms in the country.
Accor and Wyndham's Focus on India
Executives from Accor and Wyndham Hotels also flagged India as a priority market at the Goa conference.
Financial Considerations
Stock Market Listing Prospects
Jain ruled out an Indian stock market listing for IHG's local operations, at least in the near term, even as local subsidiaries of South Korea's LG Electronics and Hyundai Motor have recently completed Indian initial public offerings.
(Reporting by Nathan Gomes and Praveen Paramasivam in Panaji; Editing by Tasim Zahid)
Key Takeaways
- •IHG plans aggressive expansion: from ~50 operational hotels and ~80 in development to over 400 in India within five years, reflecting confidence in the market’s potential (ibef.org).
- •India’s hospitality market is expected to grow substantially—from about US$28 billion in 2026 to US$55.7 billion by 2031—supported by urbanisation, rising travel demand, and infrastructure growth (mordorintelligence.com).
- •Other global hotel chains such as Hyatt (quintupling footprint) and Hilton (quadrupling pipeline) are also ramping up their presence, underlining competitive momentum in India citeturn0news5
References
Frequently Asked Questions about Holiday Inn-owner IHG sees India as top-five market as global chains scale up
1Why does IHG consider India a top-five market?
IHG views India as a game-changer due to its large population, rapid urbanisation, and increasing travel demand, making it a priority for global expansion.
2How many hotels does IHG currently operate and plan to develop in India?
IHG currently operates around 50 hotels in India and has roughly 80 more in development, targeting over 400 properties in five years.
3Which other global hotel chains are expanding in India?
Hyatt aims to quintuple its India footprint, Hilton plans to quadruple its hotel rooms, and Accor and Wyndham also view India as a key growth market.
4Will IHG list its Indian operations on the stock market?
IHG has ruled out an Indian stock market listing for its local operations in the near term.
