Inside Royal Orchid’s playbook for India’s next hotel boom
Mint.India’s hotel industry is entering a an expansion cycle which is fuelled by domestic travel and the increasing shift of independent hotels to branded operators. "Domestic travel will remain the main driver of demand as India has 100 million people travelling and international inflow will only be a bonus," Baljee said.The company has 120 operational hotels, and 48 are in the pipeline.
Most of these are operated under management or franchise arrangements. It currently owns six hotels.One of its larger owned bets is a 291-room Iconiqa property near Mumbai’s Terminal 2 airport district, developed with an investment of about ₹40 crore, Baljee said, adding that the company is keeping balance-sheet exposure contained.The Bengaluru-based company is targeting 22,000 keys by FY30, which would represent a significant presence in India’s organized hotel market, projected to reach about 350,000 rooms by the end of the decade.Signing a hotel is easier than opening it, he said.
“Announcing a hotel is one thing; ensuring it actually opens is another.” In many cases, hotel companies sign agreements with property owners who then handle construction, licensing and pre-opening work, processes that can stretch timelines.The company is sharpening its focus on the mid-scale segment with the Regenta and Regenta Place, which account for the majority of its hotels. These are in the three- to four-star category, with banquet spaces, restaurants, and meeting facilities.This focus aligns with the broader industry trend.
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