Hilton Hotels Targets Aggressive Expansion In India Across All Segments

Hilton Hotels is accelerating its growth in India across luxury, upper-upscale, upscale, and mid-scale segments, positioning the country as one of its top priority markets.

“We have seen high-velocity growth across all hotel categories in India,” said Zubin Saxena, Senior Vice-President and Regional Head, South Asia, Hilton, in an interaction with Business Standard.

Strong Pipeline of New Hotels

Saxena highlighted that Hilton is at the ‘cusp of exponential growth’ with 250 hotel projects planned in the last year. These projects will begin to unfold soon, giving Hilton one of the newest hotel portfolios in India within the next two to three years.

Currently, Hilton operates 35 hotels in India, while another 31 are in the pipeline. In 2020, Hilton had 20 operational hotels and 12 under development.

“A few years ago, Hilton had just five hotel brands in India. Now, we are on track to operate under 10 of our global brands,” Saxena noted.

Of Hilton’s 24 global brands, India already has Conrad Hotels and Resorts, Hilton Hotels and Resorts, DoubleTree by Hilton, Hampton by Hilton, and Hilton Garden Inn.

Hotels under Waldorf Astoria, LXR Hotels and Resorts, Signia by Hilton, Spark by Hilton, and Curio Collection are currently under development.

Saxena stressed that India’s undersupply of branded hotel rooms is driving demand.

“India has one branded hotel room for every 3,000 people, far behind other major markets. This gap makes India a highly attractive market from a business perspective,” he said.

In comparison, Hilton operates 881 hotels in China with 832 more in the pipeline, reflecting its dominant position there.

Strategic Partnerships and Growth Plans

To achieve 10x growth in 10 years, Hilton has announced major partnerships. These include the signing of 75 Hampton by Hilton hotels with NILE Hospitality and a strategic licensing agreement with Olive by Embassy to open 150 Spark by Hilton hotels across India.

Saxena added that Hilton remains open to collaborating with other hotel asset management firms.

“We have an asset-light model in India, but we are also keen on franchising. If we get the right opportunities, franchising could help us grow our upscale and mid-market segments,” he explained.

Hilton reported double-digit growth in Revenue per Available Room (RevPAR) during the first six months of 2025 compared to last year.

Hilton operates 71 hotels in South Asia, reaching its 2027 target two years early.

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