Travel shifts could favour India amid global turmoil, says Minor Hotels founder Heinecke

. is looking to capitalise on that shift, betting on city hotels and experiential resorts.“Travel is shifting, with Asia, including India, likely to benefit as some European and West Asia-bound tourists who may divert their travels from elsewhere,” said William E. Heinecke, founder and chairperson of Minor International, which runs hotel brands like Avani and Anantara.It’s the right time to focus on India, he told Mint. "There’s tremendous potential for both domestic and international travel here,” said Heinecke, who is in India to attend the Hotelivate hospitality conference in Mumbai this week.The Thailand-based hotel company is signing an Anantara at the World Trade Centre in Kolkata this month.

It will have 170 rooms and will be ready in 2032. The firm will also sign another property in Coorg in April. Last year, the company launched its first Anantara hotel in Jaipur.Unlike some global peers chasing scale, Minor is taking a measured approach.

“We’re not chasing scale. Our focus is on delivering experiences and results to our owners,” he added. “In India, all the hotels we’ve announced so far are management contracts.

That allows us to maintain quality and ensure each property meets our brand standards.”With a goal of 50 hotels in India over the next decade, the company aims to balance city and leisure properties, emphasising quality experiences rather than rapid scale. “We’re positioned like the big players, but without their baggage,” William said. The focus is on creating unique stays, leveraging brand diversity, and catering to the evolving expectations of both domestic and international travellers, he added.Globally, Minor has nearly 600 hotels in operation and over 650 signed, with an average occupancy of