NEW DELHI: Domestic travellers continue to remain the backbone for hotels in India. American hospitality major Hyatt Hotels is planning says its domestic to foreign guest ratio now goes as high as 80 to 20, as opposed to 65 to 35 in pre-Covid times. While foreign inbound is yet to return to 2019 levels in India and more people who used to holiday within the country from mid 2020 for about 2.5 years are now going abroad, domestic travel continues to remain very strong.
“Our domestic to international ratio is now 70-80 to 20-30. Covid is behind is and we are seeing a double digit growth year over year in India since then. This growth is essentially fuelled by India’s young population, improved connectivity, opening of new airports, creating new destinations and a booming economy. The growth for luxury and experiential stays is rising very rapidly here. And Tier II & III cities are proving to be the engines for growth,” Sunjae Sharma, Hyatt (India & Southwest Asia) MD, told TOI.
Riding high on the India success story, the American hospitality major is planning to bring its “inclusive” brands to India — Ziva and Zilara — where guests pay for everything like all meals and other services upfront and not on a piecemeal basis for services made use of. This is likely to be 20%-30% more expensive than the current average luxury tariff of Rs 20,000-30,000.
Hyatt currently has over 10,000 rooms in India across 50 properties. “We will open seven this year in places like Ghaziabad, Kasauli, Kochi, Bhopal, Vithalapur and Jaipur. These destinations reflect a strategic mix of business, religious, and leisure travel, aligning with the preferences of domestic and international travellers. Hyatt will have 100 properties in India within five years,” Sharma said.
“2024 marked a watershed year for Hyatt in India, with unprecedented growth and successful signing of 21 new properties across diverse markets. This momentum propels us forward, and we’re committed to continued innovation and excellence in the region. We are excited to build on this momentum with even more aggressive expansion plans, reflecting our confidence in the region’s potential and our commitment to being a leader in the hospitality industry in India. The region’s travel ecosystem is evolving at a fast pace, with a growing emphasis on unique experiences, wellness, and luxury. Hyatt is well-positioned to meet these demands, and we are excited to introduce new brands and experiences that will redefine hospitality in India,” he said.
