Summary:
- Adani to enter India’s hotel industry with 60+ properties.
- Hotels will be managed by international partners.
- Convention and events infrastructure is included in the plan.
THE ADANI GROUP, Gautam Adani’s conglomerate focused on airport management among other things, is planning to enter India's hotel industry with more than 60 hotels linked to its airports and real estate projects. The group will partner with international operators for management, diversifying revenue and positioning itself against established players.
The hotels will largely be developed in-house, except for the Sahara Star near Mumbai airport’s Terminal 1, according to The Times of India. A common management team has been created to coordinate and maximise value across both verticals.
Jeet Adani, Adani’s director, said the portfolio’s size would place it among the country’s largest.
Navi Mumbai is central to the hospitality push, with the group developing a new international airport and surrounding real estate. About 15 hotels are planned there, reflecting the group’s expectations for business, events and leisure demand, the Times said.
The group plans to partner with international hotel operators and focus on asset development rather than run hotels under its own brand. The hospitality expansion is part of a plan to turn Adani-operated airports into urban hubs with retail, food and beverage, convention and entertainment facilities alongside passenger terminals. The aim is to reduce reliance on aeronautical revenue, such as airline landing and parking fees.
Aeronautical income currently accounts for nearly half of airport revenue, the Times reported. The group expects this share to fall to about 10 percent as non-aeronautical businesses such as hotels, lounges, retail and events grow. Airports are being repositioned as commercial districts rather than transport facilities.
In Mumbai, the group plans a convention centre. In Navi Mumbai, it is considering a 25,000-seat arena. These facilities are intended to attract exhibitions and corporate events, supporting demand for nearby hotels, restaurants and transport.
The strategy follows a global trend of airport-led urban development, where airports serve as economic anchors for districts. In India, Reliance Industries’ Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai’s Bandra Kurla Complex, opened in 2022, has shown the potential of integrated event spaces. Adani’s plans aim to create similar ecosystems directly linked to airports.
The Adani Group has shown interest in 88 Sahara Group assets, including the Sahara Star hotel near Mumbai airport, the Times said. The group has secured creditors’ approval to acquire Jaypee Group assets, including five hotels in northern India. These deals would let Adani expand by adding existing properties to its portfolio.
Despite the scale of the planned hotel business, the group does not intend to spin it off. Real estate assets will stay with Adani Realty and Adani Properties, while airport-linked developments will remain within the airport business.
In November, Adani received approval for a $15.24 million hotel at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, Kerala.
