Minor Hotels, a global hotel owner and operator boasting over 540 properties in 56 countries, is planning to expand its presence in the Indian hospitality market. The company aims to achieve this by targeting 50 new openings within the next decade.
The group will concentrate its strategy on the upper-upscale and luxury hotel segments, expecting strong interest from owners in its Anantara, Avani, and NH Collection brands.
Minor Hotels stated that for Anantara Hotels & Resorts, the group is enhancing its ‘core brand differentiators’ by focusing on opportunities in Ayurvedic wellness retreats, wilderness lodges, and historical palaces. Additionally, it sees Avani Hotels & Resorts as strategically positioned to address a notable gap in the lifestyle hotel sector throughout India, while NH Collection Hotels & Resorts are expected to attract attention for upper-upscale conversion opportunities.
With a focus on greenfield developments, Minor Hotels is targeting hotel management contracts and aims to pinpoint opportunities in emerging locations. This strategy, rooted in the group’s 46-year history, emphasizes destination creation and will continue to be pursued.
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Amir Golbarg, Senior Vice President for Middle East, Africa, and India at Minor Hotels, expressed confidence in India’s potential and noted the overwhelming interest from owners. However, the chain is adopting a ‘partnerships over properties’ approach, prioritizing collaborative ventures.
“We’re being highly discerning about the hotels we include in our portfolio, emphasizing the cultivation of meaningful alliances with partners who share our values and vision,” he explained. “Minor’s forte lies in our capacity to think globally while acting locally, allowing us to adeptly tailor our standards and operations to suit the distinct characteristics of each market. This adaptability, we believe, will provide a significant advantage for us in India.”
Minor Hotels entered the Indian market in 2017 with the launch of Oaks Bodhgaya in Bihar. Later this year, the group will introduce its flagship luxury brand to India with the opening of the Anantara Jaipur Hotel.
To bolster its expansion efforts, Minor Hotels has inaugurated a new office in Bengaluru and has appointed Vijay Krishnan as Vice President of Operations for India.
Dillip Rajakarier, CEO of Minor Hotels and Group CEO of its parent company Minor International, expressed the chain’s strong belief in India.
“We think it has the potential to be a top-tier inbound destination. Additionally, we think that the booming domestic market offers huge prospects. We intend to keep investing there in order to achieve our growth goals, which is why we made significant expenditures to establish our business there,” he stated. “With our years of expertise in managing world-class hotels in emerging areas, along with the strong recognition of our existing hotel brands within the Indian market, we are confident in our ability to play a significant role in India’s ongoing tourism success story,” he said.
Minor Hotels stated that its expansion strategy in India aligns with an ‘ambitious’ global expansion plan for the Bangkok-based group. The company aims to add over 200 hotels within the next three years as part of this initiative.
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