US-based hospitality chain Wyndham Hotels & Resorts has announced its expansion plans in India, aiming to open new budget accommodations.
This plan builds on the company’s strategy to capitalise on the growing spiritual tourism and infrastructure development within the country.
In an interview with Moneycontrol, Wyndham Hotels Europe, the Middle East, Eurasia, and Africa (EMEA) president Dimitris Manikis said: “We cannot miss the opportunity that India represents for the world today. Wyndham cannot afford to not pay attention to the opportunity in India.
“We are extremely bullish in India. Some people might say that you have got 1,400 hotels in China so how can you be bullish about India? This is because I will see more business coming from India than any other market in my region.”
The hotel chain is currently targeting to open around 150 hotels, along with a network of budget hotels, by 2025 to further strengthen its presence in the Indian market.
As part of this expansion effort, Manikis confirmed that some of Wyndham's economy brands will be introduced to the Indian market.
These brands include Days Inn and Super 8, that are already well-established in the US.
Currently, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts has an inventory of nearly 60 hotels in India, equating to 5,500 rooms, with an additional 25 hotels under development and 40 more in the pipeline.
Emphasising on the importance of religious tourism in India, Manikis said that it is crucial for the company to open hotels in some of the country’s pilgrim places and revealed that Wyndham already has a couple of hotels in the pipeline, with locations to be announced soon.
Over the next three to four years, the hotel chain expects a balanced mix of budget/economy properties and midscale to upper midscale hotels in India.
The company's focus will not be limited to major cities but will also extend to smaller cities, targeting India’s tier II and III cities, Manikis added.
In October 2023, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts entered into a franchise deal with Saryu Ratna Hotel & Resort to open a new Ramada Encore by Wyndham branded property in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, India.
