Skift Take

As the Indian traveler drives demand to lesser explored domestic destinations, major brands are finding opportunities to grow in the Indian hinterlands.

The hospitality industry in India is undergoing a rapid expansion. According to data from real estate services firm JLL, a total of 131 hotels opened in the country between January and September 2023, with another 182 properties signed. That’s over 8,200 keys, with more than 16,000 in the pipeline. 

This boom in the hospitality industry in India has moved beyond tier 1 cities. The JLL data shows that during 2023, as many as 217 new hotels in tier 2 cities and 176 hotels in tier 3 towns were opened and signed, while this figure stood at only 61 in tier 1 cities. 

Recent openings in tier 1 cities include Taj The Trees, Mumbai; Moxy Bengaluru Airport Prestige Tech Cloud; and Fortune Park East Delhi. 

In less explored tier 2 markets, there were several openings, including: 

InterContinental Jaipur T