Hotel Management Network

IHG to debut first hotel in Kashmir, India

Scheduled to open in 2026, the signing aligns with IHG’s strategy to expand its presence across key leisure destinations in the country.

IHG Hotels & Resorts has signed a management agreement with Geelan Residency for its first hotel in the Kashmir region in India.

voco Srinagar is set to open in late 2026 in the upmarket commercial area of the city, a two-hour drive from popular leisure destinations Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Sonmarg.

The property will feature 95 rooms, a fitness centre with a pool, and meetings, conferences and exhibition space.

The new build is the sixth voco hotel being developed in India. The brand has showcased strong growth since its introduction to the country in 2023, and has already expanded across the regional markets of the Jim Corbett National Park, Gurugram, Mumbai, Goa and Punjab.

IHG managing director South West Asia Sudeep Jain commented: “Domestic tourism to leisure destinations is on the rise in India. We recognise the potential and this signing aligns with our commitment to expand IHG's presence in key leisure markets.”

IHG currently has 45 hotels operating across five brands in India: Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn Express, Holiday Inn Resort, InterContinental Hotels and Resorts and Six Senses. It also has a strong pipeline of 50 hotels due to open between 2027 and 2029.

GlobalData’s travel and tourism intelligence finds that international arrivals in India grew by 48% and that the country’s top five source markets are Bangladesh, the US, the UK, Australia and Canada.