Hotel room rates in New Delhi have surged sharply ahead of the India AI Summit 2026, with luxury suites reportedly touching INR 20 lakh per night, triggering widespread calls for government intervention. A LocalCircles survey shows 74% of respondents want the Centre to step in and cap hotel prices during major events.
The survey, conducted across 34,000+ respondents in 307 districts, found strong public concern over what travellers see as profiteering. Around 57% said they had faced exorbitant hotel pricing at least once, while a significant number reported frequent overcharging during peak events.
Demand has spiked as over 35,000 delegates from 100+ countries are expected to attend the summit at Bharat Mandapam from February 16–20. As a result, five-star hotels in central Delhi are quoting over ₹60,000 per night, while four-star properties have jumped from around ₹6,000 to ₹30,000+.
The survey also found 22% support a formal price ceiling, with some respondents calling for the Competition Commission of India (CCI) to examine pricing practices. However, 26% opposed regulatory intervention, arguing against government control of hotel tariffs.
The sharp price escalation has reignited debate on pricing regulation during global events, amid concerns over affordability and India’s image as an international host destination.
