India has emerged as the top country for hotel development in the Asia-Pacific region, setting a new record with 693 projects and 88,884 rooms under development in Q1 2025, according to Lodging Econometrics. This marks a 19% increase in projects and a 27% rise in rooms year-on-year, driven by strong domestic tourism and infrastructure investments.
“India is shining with domestically driven growth. Government infrastructure investment and rising aspirations among Indian travelers are creating boundless opportunities for the hospitality sector,” said Rajeev Menon, President, Marriott International (Asia Pacific, excluding China).
Branded hotel rooms in India are expected to nearly double over the next five years, with key players expanding aggressively:
-
Marriott International operates 158 hotels with 30,000 rooms and has 20,500 more in the pipeline.
-
ITC Hotels plans to grow from 13,300 rooms to over 20,000 across 220 hotels by 2030.
-
Radisson Hotel Group aims to add 300 hotels, reaching nearly 500 properties by 2030.
Improved connectivity through the UDAN scheme and demand in Tier II and Tier III cities are fueling growth. Additionally, global chains like Hilton and new brands like Marriott’s “Series by Marriott” are entering the market, underscoring India’s status as a key hospitality frontier.