Marriott, Hilton, IHG bet $567M on India hotel boom as domestic travel defies slowdown

Global chains are racing to plant flags across India: Marriott alone plans 180 new properties and 30,000 rooms, while industry-wide pipeline hits 906 projects. Hotel investment jumped 67% to $567M in 2024 as 5-star bookings doubled YoY and room rates climbed 25%, with one room per 3,000 people leaving runway.

— Source publishedTue, 9 Jun, 2026, 10:00 IST·First seen Tue, 9 Jun, 2026, 10:22 IST·Source ET Hospitality

What happened

Marriott International · Global hotel chains Marriott, IHG, Hilton, Accor and Wyndham are aggressively expanding in India, betting domestic tourism, religious

Key facts

  • $567M hotel investments 2024 (+67%)
  • Marriott +180 properties/30,000 rooms planned
  • Hilton 94 hotels operating/pipeline
  • 906 projects/118,000 rooms pipeline
  • 5-star bookings 2x YoY April
  • family bookings +125%
  • room rates +25%
  • premium demand +20%
  • domestic tourism market $216B
  • 1 room per 3,000 people

Why this matters

Lock in land parcels and management contracts now in tier-2 Indian cities before Marriott's 180-property push and rivals' expansions price out attractive sites.