Another Bet on India Tourism: IHG Targets 400 India Hotels by 2031

IHG Hotels & Resorts, one of the largest hotel groups in the world, has announced plans to significantly scale its operations in India over the next five years. The company aims to reach more than 400 open and in-development hotels across the country.

Currently, IHG operates more than 50 hotels in India and has an additional 80 properties under development. Together, these hotels account for nearly 12,000 rooms. The new target represents a threefold increase in the company’s footprint and reflects strong confidence in India’s long-term travel demand and investment environment.

Long-term commitment across multiple hotel segments

IHG’s expansion plan runs through 2031 and covers a broad range of hotel categories. The company intends to grow across luxury, premium, and mid-scale segments, using a mix of newly built properties and hotel conversions.

The scale and duration of the plan underline IHG’s long-term commitment to the Indian market. Company leadership has described India as one of IHG’s most important growth engines worldwide, driven by rising domestic travel, increasing inbound tourism, and strong interest from hotel owners and developers.

The backdrop to this aggressive growth strategy is IHG’s recent performance in India. In 2025, the company recorded its third consecutive year of record hotel signings in the country. This sustained momentum has played a key role in giving IHG the confidence to push forward with an ambitious development pipeline.

Intensifying competition in a recovering market

As IHG expands its footprint, travelers can expect to see more branded hotel options across India. The influx of new properties will likely increase competition with other global hotel groups, including Marriott, Hilton, and Accor, all of which are also actively growing in the region.

For the broader tourism ecosystem, this added inventory means greater choice for travelers, from business guests to leisure tourists, and improved distribution reach for branded hotels. The expansion also reflects the continued recovery and evolution of India’s hospitality market in the post-pandemic era.

India’s growing role on the global travel stage

IHG’s announcement comes as India strengthens its global travel and hospitality connections. Recently, Air India signed a codeshare agreement with Saudia, the national airline of Saudi Arabia, with flights under the partnership scheduled to begin in February 2026.

At the same time, Indian hotel groups are expanding beyond their home market. In late December 2025, Indian Hotels Company Limited opened the Taj Paro Resort and Spa in Bhutan, extending the Taj brand across the Himalayan region. IHCL also signed an agreement to open a new hotel in Cairo, marking its first entry into Egypt.

Photo by Nelson Winfred on Unsplash