Strengthening its presence in India’s fast-growing hospitality sector, InterGlobe Hotels has recently unveiled its 25th Ibis property in the heart of Mumbai’s Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC). Developed in partnership with Accor, the new hotel reinforces the company’s strategy of expanding in high-demand business hubs.
Led by JB Singh, President and CEO, InterGlobe Hotels has grown significantly over the past decade, expanding its footprint from 12 hotels in 2014 to 30 properties with more than 5,800 keys. With a presence in 14 cities, the company continues to target key tier-I markets while refining its offerings to align with evolving guest expectations.
As demand outpaces supply in India’s classified hotel segment, the mid-market category remains a critical growth area. Recognising this potential, InterGlobe Hotels is accelerating expansion, with upcoming projects in Bengaluru and Goa complementing its established presence in business and leisure destinations. The focus remains on prime urban locations, contemporary design, and technology-driven experiences to stay ahead in the competitive mid-scale segment.
Despite industry challenges such as rising costs and regulatory hurdles, the company is leveraging strategic partnerships and operational efficiencies to sustain its momentum. With a robust pipeline and a commitment to quality and value-driven hospitality, InterGlobe Hotels is poised to shape the future of India’s mid-market hotel landscape.
In a conversation with Asmita Mukherjee, Singh shared the brand’s growth plans, highlighting its vision for further expansion and its commitment to enhancing guest experiences across its properties.
InterGlobe Hotels has expanded from 12 hotels in 2014 to 23 by 2025. What strategies have been pivotal in achieving this growth, and how do you plan to sustain the growth part?
We’re excited about our growth. InterGlobe Hotels is strategically expanding, and with the launch of ibis BKC (our 5th hotel in Mumbai), InterGlobe has now invested in 30 properties and over 5,800 keys across India, including an upscale project in Bengaluru.
We capitalize on rising travel demand and evolving guest preferences, recognizing the shift towards tech-enabled, value-driven, and authentic experiences—needs that InterGlobe Hotels and the Ibis India portfolio are well-positioned to meet.
Our strong partnerships and commitment to innovation ensure consistent quality and efficiency, solidifying our position as industry leaders in delivering long-term value. With a strong presence across 14 cities, we continue to expand strategically, focusing on meeting the needs of both business and leisure travellers.
Our growth strategy is defined by a focused approach to expanding into prime tier-I locations and increasing our presence within these cities. We focus on diversifying our portfolio in AAA locations to cater to a variety of traveller segments. By maintaining this approach, we are poised to sustain and further our growth trajectory, ensuring we meet the dynamic needs of the modern traveller.
Could you elaborate on the strategic reasons behind positioning the Ibis brand in the mid-market segment rather than as a budget offering in India?
The mid-scale hotel segment is experiencing significant growth, driven by a shift in traveller preferences toward value-conscious, high-quality experiences. Guests today seek more than just affordability; they desire well-designed spaces, superior amenities, and seamless hospitality experiences.
InterGlobe Hotels, through the ibis brand, provides amenities and experiences that align with the expectations of modern travellers. Our hotels are designed to offer superior comfort and quality, featuring amenities such as high-speed Wi-Fi and co-working spaces, stylish interiors, exceptional service, sweet bed sleep system and specially curated menus for global and local guests.
Our hotels are perfectly suited for various segments, including business and leisure travellers. By offering a higher standard of accommodation, we attract guests who seek enhanced comfort and convenience. By combining contemporary design with functionality and comfort, we create an environment that enhances the overall stay, making it enjoyable and memorable. With properties across 14 cities in both business and leisure destinations, we are committed to reshaping the mid-market hospitality landscape by offering an experience that blends affordability with premium design and world-class facilities.
Our strategic locations in prime areas further enhance the overall guest experience. Being situated in key business districts and popular destinations makes our hotels more accessible and appealing to travellers. This strategic positioning helps us stand out in a competitive market and ensures that our guests have easy access to key landmarks and amenities.
With the planned expansion of new properties, how do you foresee these additions enhancing InterGlobe Hotels’ presence in these key markets?
India’s mid-market hotel sector has witnessed significant growth, and InterGlobe Hotels is leading the way with innovative design and development. The launch of ibis Mumbai BKC underscores our commitment to strategic growth and our confidence in the nation’s expanding market. It’s a significant addition to our portfolio and reflects our dedication to providing quality, value-driven accommodation for discerning travellers.
InterGlobe Hotels is at the forefront of the mid-market sector’s rapid evolution, spearheading progress through cutting-edge design and development. With 30 hotels and over 5,800 rooms nationwide, we are a key player in India’s dynamic hospitality sphere, and we are poised for further strategic growth. We have 8 hotels in Maharashtra including 5 in Mumbai with the opening of ibis BKC. Our upcoming hotel in Bengaluru, exemplifies our commitment to a strategic and targeted expansion approach, focusing on the densification of our presence in key growth markets. This deliberate strategy ensures that we are well-positioned to meet the demands of these markets and continue our growth trajectory.
With a strong presence across 14 cities, we will continue to expand strategically. Moving forward, prime AAA locations will remain central to our strategy, as well as intensifying our presence in established hubs like Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi NCR, Goa, and Bengaluru.
Further, we aim to grow not just in numbers but also to redefine hospitality through innovative designs, modern amenities, technology-enabled guest experiences, efficient hotel operations, and a guest-centric approach. These strategic moves will boost our competitive edge and ensure our guests enjoy unparalleled comfort, convenience, and value.
Given the current capacity constraints and increasing demand in urban centres, what specific challenges and opportunities do you anticipate in expanding InterGlobe Hotels in tier-I cities?
The hospitality sector is undergoing a transformative period, demanding holistic and adaptive strategies to overcome multifaceted challenges.
Rising costs are a significant concern. Inflation in raw materials and operations can drive up project expenses, but we tackle this through efficient sourcing and value engineering. Policy inconsistencies across different states can also cause delays, so a harmonized regulatory framework would be beneficial to streamline execution. Additionally, while urban travel demand is on the rise, the supporting infrastructure is sometimes lacking. At InterGlobe Hotels, we address this by strategically selecting locations and partnering with local stakeholders. Navigating regulatory complexities and ensuring a skilled workforce are other challenges we manage through proactive engagement and robust training programs.
The industry also offers numerous opportunities. The booming hospitality demand in urban centres presents significant growth potential. Government-backed initiatives, such as hospitality-specific Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs), credit-guaranteed bonds, and infrastructure status for hotel projects, would help ease capital access. Furthermore, granting Priority Sector Lending status to hospitality can further boost our expansion efforts.
Despite these challenges, we remain fundamentally optimistic about the Indian hospitality industry’s potential. At InterGlobe Hotels, through a strategic and agile approach, we are confident in expanding our hotel portfolio.
In light of recent property launches like ibis Styles Vagator, ibis Thane and ibis BKC how do you ensure that new hotels align with InterGlobe Hotels’ overall vision and meet market demands?
InterGlobe Hotels’ expansion strategy is driven by the increasing demand for quality, value-driven accommodations in India, fueled by rising travel demand. We cater to modern travellers by offering technology-enabled experiences, smart design, seamless digital integration, and authentic hospitality.
Our world-class hotels feature the latest amenities, thoughtfully designed rooms, and contemporary public spaces, all built to the highest standards. They provide a delightful experience for both tourists and locals, challenging conventional norms and reshaping the hotel experience. This approach has solidified our unique brand identity and offerings.
To ensure new hotels align with our vision and meet market demands, we prioritize several key factors. We craft properties to cater to the lifestyle preferences and aspirations of modern travellers, particularly the younger generation, with a strong emphasis on design. We collaborate with the best designers to realize our vision of excellence and innovation, consistently raising the bar for hospitality and hotel design. Furthermore, we actively seek and integrate guest feedback to continuously improve our services and exceed expectations. Embracing a future-minded approach, we design flexible, multi-functional spaces that emphasize connection, convenience, and sustainability, aligning with evolving traveller needs. Finally, we consciously track and implement the latest design trends, striving to improve with each new hotel opening.
By combining high-quality buildings, state-of-the-art design, and efficient operations, we provide exceptional accommodation tailored to the modern traveller.
What are InterGlobe Hotels’ key priorities for growth?
InterGlobe Hotels’ growth strategy is centred around strategic expansion, innovation, sustainability, and operational excellence. We are focused on expanding our hospitality portfolio by identifying prime locations and providing quality, value-driven accommodations to meet India’s rising travel demand.
Driving product innovation is also a key priority, as we leverage smart technologies, contemporary designs, and efficient space utilization to enhance guest experiences. Investing in technology that enhances guest experience and improves operational efficiency is crucial. These include AI-powered solutions to streamline bookings, check-ins, and guest interactions for a seamless stay.
Our commitment to sustainability is unwavering, with initiatives that integrate green building practices, energy-efficient operations, and responsible sourcing. Our hotels adhere to eco-certifications, focus on renewable energy, and implement waste and water management initiatives. All our new developments since 2020 are IGB certified including ibis BKC.
Ensuring compliance with the highest standards in development control, safety, and operational protocols is also a priority, all while maintaining our sustainability commitments.
These priorities reinforce our vision to bring delight to every stakeholder by crafting innovative, efficient, and top-quality hotels. We cultivate a culture of continuous learning, collaboration, and ownership to achieve this.
What role do you see InterGlobe Hotels playing in shaping the future of the Indian hospitality industry, especially in the mid-market segment?
The mid-scale hotel segment in India has witnessed remarkable growth over the past decade, driven by evolving guest preferences and a surge in domestic tourism. Indian travellers today seek value-conscious yet high-quality experiences, making mid-market hotels an increasingly popular choice.
This shift is further fuelled by changing lifestyles and a growing demand for competitively priced branded accommodation. Both domestic and international hotel brands are expanding their presence to cater to this growing segment of domestic travellers and value-conscious international visitors.
InterGlobe Hotels has firmly established itself as a frontrunner in hotel design and development, driven by a deep understanding of the evolving needs of the modern traveller. We recognize the growing demand for accommodations that seamlessly blend value with a premium experience, and we strategically capitalize on this by delivering thoughtfully designed properties that resonate with our target audience.
Our commitment to enhancing guest satisfaction is paramount. We achieve this by making significant investments in innovative design concepts that prioritize both aesthetics and functionality. This includes creating dynamic public spaces that foster social interaction, as well as designing guest rooms that offer a sanctuary of comfort and convenience, integrating smart technology for seamless connectivity and personalized experiences. We are not just building hotels; we are crafting immersive environments that cater to the lifestyle preferences of our guests.
Furthermore, we leverage cutting-edge technology to streamline operations and enhance the guest journey and place a strong emphasis on personalized services, understanding that true hospitality lies in anticipating and exceeding individual guest expectations. By continuously innovating and adapting to market needs, we are committed to shaping the future of hospitality in India.
