IHG Hotels & Resorts Outlines Expansion Plans for India
IHG Hotels & Resorts is planning a significant expansion in India, with its portfolio expected to more than triple over the next five years. The company currently has over 50 hotels in operation and more than 80 in the pipeline, representing close to 12,000 rooms across the country.
India continues to be a key growth market for IHG, with 2025 marking the third consecutive year of record hotel signings. This sustained momentum supports the company’s objective to reach more than 400 hotels open or under development in India within the next five years, reflecting continued owner interest across its brand portfolio.
At present, IHG operates or has signed hotels under eight brands in India, spanning luxury, premium and midscale segments. These include Six Senses, InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, voco, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Garner and Staybridge Suites. As part of its luxury and lifestyle expansion, IHG plans to introduce its Vignette Collection brand in India in early 2026.
The company’s essentials portfolio continues to form the backbone of its presence in the country, driven by demand from business travel, leisure stays and short breaks across urban and resort destinations. Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express together account for more than 70% of IHG’s operating hotels in India, as well as the majority of properties under development. Holiday Inn Express ranked first for signings in its category in the third quarter of 2025 year-to-date.
IHG’s midscale growth was further supported by the introduction of the Garner brand in India in 2025. Initial signings included properties in Etawah and Kathua, with additional hotels in Kutch and Bhiwadi added to the pipeline, highlighting growing interest in conversion-led, branded offerings.
Momentum is also evident in the premium segment, with Crowne Plaza representing approximately a quarter of IHG’s development pipeline in India. The opening of Crowne Plaza Lucknow in May 2025 marked the company’s 50th operational hotel in the country. The voco brand has also entered the Indian market, with signings across cities and leisure destinations including Srinagar, Goa, Gurugram, Mumbai and Amritsar, as well as an opening near Jim Corbett National Park.
In the luxury space, InterContinental continues to expand across major cities and resort locations, while Six Senses has established a presence with properties in Rajasthan and Uttarakhand. Together, these developments point to a balanced growth strategy across segments.
Looking ahead, IHG’s approach in India remains focused on portfolio-led expansion supported by owner partnerships and conversion opportunities, positioning the company to participate in the next phase of growth in the country’s hospitality sector.
Elie Maalouf, Chief Executive Officer, IHG Hotels & Resorts, said: “India is one of IHG’s strategic markets globally and a key contributor to our long-term growth ambitions. Strong domestic demand, favourable demographics and the depth of confidence owners express in our brands continue to support our expansion here.
With a global portfolio of 20 distinct brands, IHG is strategically expanding its presence in India by introducing more choices to the market. The upcoming debut of Vignette Collection and a strong response to newer brands such as Garner highlight the relevance and flexibility of our portfolio in meeting evolving owner and guest needs. Backed by a robust portfolio of hotels in development, we are well positioned to accelerate growth in India while advancing our broader ambition of building scale across key markets.”
Sudeep Jain, Managing Director, South West Asia, IHG Hotels & Resorts, added: “India remains one of IHG’s most active markets, supported by an underpenetrated branded hotel landscape and strong demand across business and leisure segments.
The introduction of Vignette Collection and rapid growth of the InterContinental and Crowne Plaza brands strengthens our offering across luxury and premium segments, complementing the strong performance of our mainstream brands such as Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express that anchor our scale in India. With 80 hotels in development and an increasing signing momentum, we remain focused on delivering accelerating growth in the country over the next five years.”
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