The situation stretched from hotel lobbies to airline counters and tourist sites
More than 50 percent of bookings were reportedly canceled in major Indian cities following “Operation Sindoor,” the country’s response to a terrorist attack on April 22 in the town of Pahalgam. Pictured are supporters of the Bangiya Hindu Mahamanch in Siliguri, India, waving posters in support of the operation. Photo by Diptendu Dutta / Middle East Images / Middle East Images via AFP
Vishnu Rageev R is a journalist with more than 15 years of experience in business journalism. Before joining Asian Media Group in 2022, he worked with BW Businessworld, IMAGES Group, exchange4media Group, DC Books, and Dhanam Publications in India. His coverage includes industry analysis, market trends and corporate developments, focusing on retail, real estate and hospitality. As a senior journalist with Asian Hospitality, he covers the U.S. hospitality industry. He is from Kerala, a state in South India.
FOLLOWING INDIA’S “OPERATION Sindoor,” a cascading crisis has hit the hospitality and travel sectors. More than 50 percent of bookings were canceled in major cities, while online travel platforms suspended international offerings.
Operation Sindoor was India’s response to the April 22 terror attack in the town of Pahalgam in the state of Jammu and Kashmir that killed 26 people, mostly tourists. India and Pakistan have agreed to a ceasefire for now, but the crisis is still having an impact from hotel lobbies to airline counters and tourist sites, according to media reports.
India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting nine camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and neutralizing an estimated 100 terrorists, Hindustan Times reported, citing Indian Army officials. Pakistan retaliated and both sides have accused the other of violating the ceasefire, triggering a cycle of violence that has spilled into civilian sectors, particularly tourism and hospitality.
“This is a proud week for India, but also a deeply sad one,” said California-based hotelier Sunny Tolani in an interview. “Radical Islamic terrorists attacked a tourist city, our hospitality hub, during a U.S. vice president’s state visit. The brutality of that attack shook us all.”
Cancellations: The new norm
Major hospitality chains, including Tata Group-owned Indian Hotels Company Ltd—the parent of the Taj brand—and Ventive Hospitality, a partner to Marriott International and Hilton Worldwide Holdings in India, reported sharp business declines, according to Financial Express.
“More than 50 percent of bookings across Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru and Chennai were canceled in the past week,” an industry executive was quoted as saying in the report. “We expect at least a 40 percent slump in May revenue if this continues.”
HSBC Global earlier estimated that IHCL could face daily EBIT losses of Rs 1–1.5 crore (approximately $120,000 to $180,000), while Ventive may lose around Rs 50 lakh (about $60,000) per day, largely due to reduced inbound international travel. Corporates such as HDFC Bank, Axis Bank, and Tata Communications have also issued travel advisories.
“The safety and security of our guests and associates is of paramount importance to us,” an IHCL spokesperson said, according to the Financial Express. “This is an evolving situation, and we are monitoring developments closely.”
IPL, other events suspended
Corporate events and conferences—a key hotel revenue stream—have been directly affected. One Chennai hotel saw 100 room cancellations for a single event; another in Mumbai's Juhu area reported losses of Rs 1 crore (approximately $120,000) in two days due to scrapped functions.
“Corporate travel and MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, exhibitions) are feeling the impact, with companies restricting non-essential travel and rescheduling events,” said Mandeep S. Lamba, president and CEO at HVS ANAROCK, a hospitality consultancy firm.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India temporarily suspended the Indian Premier League, a tournament that books more than 30 luxury hotels across 13 cities, including Mumbai, Ahmedabad, and Hyderabad. The suspension deepens losses, though new dates for the tournament have been announced.
Meanwhile, hotels have begun implementing cost-saving measures.
“Top-level meetings were held late last week to determine steps like hiring freezes, limiting gig staff, and reducing heating, lighting, and power consumption,” an executive from a five-star hotel chain told FE.
Properties are also reportedly consolidating guests on specific floors to optimize energy usage.
Boycotts trending
The fallout extends to international markets. On May 10, online travel platform Ixigo suspended all hotel and flight bookings to Turkey, China and Azerbaijan after these countries condemned Operation Sindoor and warned of escalation.
Cox & Kings and Travomint followed suit. Karan Agarwal, director at Cox & Kings, confirmed suspending all new travel offerings to Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, and Turkey.
“This is driven by our commitment to uphold principles that matter deeply to us and the people of our country,” he said.
“We have decided to support the Indians' call for boycotting Turkey and Azerbaijan,” said Alok Singh, CEO of Travomint.
Long-standing frustrations
For Tolani, the situation has reopened old wounds.
“Since 1947, India has pursued diplomacy,” said Tolani, who is also the founder and CEO of The Prince Organization. “We are rooted in non-violence. But what has that gotten us? Ceasefire violations, terror attacks, and now full state funerals for terrorists.”
He referred to Pakistan’s decision to give state burials—typically reserved for heads of state—to those killed in Operation Sindoor.
“That wasn’t a condemnation; it was an endorsement,” Tolani said. “Pakistan’s civilian government is powerless. The army and ISI run the country. Not one democratic administration has completed a full term in over 70 years.”
Tolani said he has reached out to global leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Still, he believes only India and the U.S. can dismantle the regional terror infrastructure.
“Let’s not forget, many of the 9/11 terrorists trained in the same camps targeting India today. These are not isolated threats, they are globally intertwined.”
Hope amidst hostility
Despite the tension, Tolani expressed empathy for the Pakistani people.
“Many Indians have family across the border. I have cousins in Pakistan,” he said. “Our bloodlines are connected. But they’re suffering under a military stranglehold.”
He suggested that countries like Bangladesh and China could help by creating jobs and dignity.
“Give the people something dignified—factories, jobs, hope,” Tolani said. “This constant drumbeat of declaring India and the U.S. as enemies is ruining them.”
The former Marriott executive received the Bharat Gaurav award.
The appointment follows the Accor-InterGlobe joint venture formed earlier this year.
Ranju Alex is Accor Ltd.’s new CEO for South Asia, which includes India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. She will lead the company’s business and growth strategy in the subcontinent.
Alex, who joined Marriott International in 2010, served as regional vice president for South Asia, overseeing 170 hotels. The appointment follows the formation of the Accor-InterGlobe joint venture earlier this year, led by Chairman Gaurav Bhushan, to open 300 Accor hotels in India by 2030.
“We are pleased to welcome Ranju to the Accor and InterGlobe family,” said Bhushan. “She brings deep experience, skills, and relationships to our business, and we look forward to building a leading hospitality platform in the region under her leadership.”
Alex began her career with The Oberoi Group in 1993 and held leadership roles at Marriott for more than three decades. She received the Bharat Gaurav award for her contributions to the industry.
“I am delighted to be joining Accor, a company with a comprehensive portfolio of brands in the region,” she said. “It is an honor to take on this role and deliver the Group’s vision in South Asia.”
Accor operates more than 70 hotels in the region and has more than 30 in the pipeline.
Meanwhile, the Accor/Interglobe JV is the exclusive growth platform for the brand’s portfolio in India, focusing on expansion and services for Indian travelers. InterGlobe, parent of IndiGo, is led by Group Managing Director Rahul Bhatia.
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IHCL expands portfolio past 550 hotels by through acquisitions and partnerships.
Promoters of ANK, Pride and Brij come from the Clarks Hotels family.
ANK and Pride operates midscale hotels, Brij focuses on the boutique and experiential segment.
THE INDIAN HOTELS Co. Ltd acquired a controlling stake in ANK Hotels Pvt. Ltd and Pride Hospitality Pvt. Ltd and signed a distribution agreement with Brij Hospitality Pvt. Ltd. The deals expand IHCL’s portfolio to more than 550 hotels, increase its midscale presence to over 240 properties and add the Brij brand.
The promoters of ANK Hotels, Pride Hospitality and Brij Hospitality come from the Clarks Hotels family, IHCL said in a statement.
“India’s hospitality sector has witnessed sustained demand momentum over the last three fiscal years, reflective of the country’s growing economic prominence and rising discretionary spends,” said Puneet Chhatwal, IHCL’s managing director and CEO. “The outlook for the sector remains buoyant as demand outpaces supply and India continues to be an under-served hospitality market, especially in the mid-market segment. Our partnership with ANK, Pride and Brij Hospitality is a multipronged approach addressing India’s heterogeneous market landscape and is in line with IHCL’s five-year road map ‘Accelerate 2030’ of unlocking India’s tourism potential.”
ANK Hotels and Pride Hospitality operate 135 midscale hotels across 110 locations under The Clarks Hotels & Resorts brand, the statement said. These will be integrated into IHCL’s portfolio, mainly under the Ginger brand. Brij Hospitality’s 19 properties will add to IHCL’s presence in the boutique and experiential segment.
“Furthering IHCL’s presence in the midscale segment with the transformation of Ginger, this partnership doubles our portfolio to over 240 hotels addressing the needs of the aspirational traveller,” Chhatwal said. “Expanding our brandscape, the strong brand equity of Brij Hotels in India’s cultural and historical centres extends our offering in the experiential boutique luxury segment. With their legacy and hospitality expertise, the key managerial personnel of ANK, Pride and Brij Hospitality will continue to oversee the running of the respective companies, providing business continuity and enabling future growth.”
The transaction supports IHCL’s asset-light strategy, with most new properties under management contracts or operating leases. It advances the company’s ‘Accelerate 2030’ goal of expanding India’s tourism potential and broadens its presence from midscale to boutique luxury.
Ankur Dalwani, IHCL’s executive vice president and chief financial officer, said the company will fund the investment through internal accruals, supported by strong cash flows.
“The primary investment will be used to unlock value in existing assets and fuel future growth opportunities,” he said.
Meanwhile, Tata Sons recently launched a hospitality platform to support IHCL, allowing it to operate group-owned hotels on a revenue-share model while remaining asset-light. The first project is a 195-room Ginger hotel under construction near Kolkata airport.
“Together with IHCL, we carry forward the shared vision of our respective founders, Jamsetji Tata and Babu Brijpal Das Ji, in shaping and propelling India’s tourism journey," said Anant Apurv Kumar and Udit Kumar, founders of Brij Hotels and promoters of Clarks Group. "IHCL’s legacy of showcasing Indian hospitality to the world resonates with our core objective at Brij Hotels – to immerse travellers in the spirit of India’s most storied destinations. Together, we will blend IHCL’s century-old tradition with our experiential approach, creating journeys that honour our shared heritage, nurture local communities and reveal India in its most significant form. We extend our gratitude to Vijay Thacker from Horwath HTL for helping facilitate this strategic alliance.”
“It is with great enthusiasm that we move forward to new vistas with India’s largest hotel group,” said Anoop Kumar, founder of ANK Hotels. “Our forefathers, who sowed the seeds of the hospitality sector in India in 1947, will be proud.”
IHCL and Ambuja Neotia Group recently announced plans to open 15 hotels across West Bengal, Sikkim and Himachal Pradesh over the next five years.
MHRIL targets 10,000 rooms by 2030, up from 5,700.
It is exploring new models to become more competitive.
It calls the goal “conservative” amid India’s post-COVID tourism boom.
MAHINDRA HOLIDAYS AND Resorts India Ltd., a subsidiary of Mahindra Group, is aiming to have 10,000 rooms by 2030. The company is expanding beyond vacation ownership into the travel and tourism sector, Anish Shah, Mahindra Group CEO and managing director, said in an interview with PTI Videos.
MHRIL, led by Managing Director and CEO Manoj Bhat, had 5,794 keys as of June 30, 2025, and plans to add about 1,000 rooms this fiscal as part of its target to increase its room count to 10,000 by the 2030 fiscal, according to PTI.
Shah said the target of 10,000 rooms by 2030 is "conservative" given the boom in domestic tourism after the COVID-19 pandemic.
"So my response to that is that you're right,” Shah told PTI. “It should be much more. It is a good target right now, as a business looks at various options to go beyond vacation ownership."
The company is exploring new models to become more competitive, moving beyond its Club Mahindra business.
"As those options are thought through, further developed and combined with 'here's what the model is going to be' that will then give us a better sense of how we can play this in a much bigger way,” Shah said. "Our goal is very clear, to be the number one leisure hospitality player in India and that is something that we have been able to show, as we've seen from all the feedback we get from customers who go to our resorts. The experience has always been fantastic, and that is one that we've been able to deliver for families in leisure destinations, and we want to do that on a much larger scale."
Asked why the group has stayed away from conventional hotels and restricted itself to Club Mahindra, Shah said.
"That has been the model of the past but the business is looking at various options now, and is exploring, what are models that make sense, and how can we expand beyond just vacation ownership that we are doing (now)," he said.
India received 9.95 million foreign tourists in 2024, up from 9.52 million in 2023.
U.S. led India’s inbound and outbound travel in 2024 with 1.8 million American visitors.
The UAE was the top overseas destination for Indians, hosting 7.7 million travelers.
THE U.S EMERGED as India’s largest inbound tourism market in 2024, sending 1.8 million visitors, according to the India’s Ministry of Tourism. The U.S. also ranked among the top destinations for Indian travelers, welcoming more than 2.1 million visits last year.
Union Minister for Tourism and Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said these figures signal strong momentum in both inbound and outbound travel, The Tribune reported.
India received a total of 99,51,722 foreign tourists in 2024, up from 95,20,928 in 2023 and 64,37,467 in 2022. Bangladesh followed the U.S. in inbound arrivals with 17,50,165 visitors, while the United Kingdom ranked third with 10,22,587.
On the outbound side, more than 30 million Indians traveled abroad in 2024, the report said.
Bureau of Immigration data showed the UAE as the most popular destination, attracting 7.7 million visitors from India, followed by Saudi Arabia with 34,23,711 and the United States with 21,43,909.
Earlier in July, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh outlined plans to further strengthen India’s tourism profile through global trade fairs, roadshows, B2B meetings, familiarization trips and digital campaigns.
Rubix Data Sciences projected India’s hospitality industry will grow steadily despite regional tensions, with revenue reaching $12.8 billion by 2027.
Marriott and BHVL plan six hotels with 940 rooms in four Indian markets.
Bengaluru-based BHVL is a subsidiary of Brigade Enterprises Ltd.
BHVL recently launched a $101.2 million IPO, including a $14.4 million pre-IPO placement.
MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL AND Brigade Hotel Ventures Ltd will open six hotels totaling 940 rooms across four markets in India. The projects will be developed under five Marriott Bonvoy brands: The Ritz-Carlton, JW Marriott, Marriott Hotels & Resorts, Courtyard by Marriott and Fairfield by Marriott.
Bengaluru-based BHVL, a subsidiary of real estate firm Brigade Enterprises Ltd or BEL led by Executive Chairman M.R. Jaishankar, signed the agreement as part of its nearly 15-year partnership with Marriott, which has produced several large projects.
The six hotels, said Jaishankar, include the Courtyard by Marriott Chennai World Trade Center; Fairfield by Marriott Bengaluru International Airport; Fairfield by Marriott Bengaluru Brigade Valencia; The Ritz-Carlton Vaikom Island, Kerala; JW Marriott Chennai OMR; and Thiruvananthapuram Marriott Hotel World Trade Center.
“Each of these projects reflects our belief in the long-term potential of the Indian hospitality industry and our commitment to bringing thoughtfully designed hotels to both business and leisure travelers,” Jaishankar said. “With Marriott’s brands and global standards, we are confident these hotels will set benchmarks in their respective markets.”
BHVL is the second-largest owner of chain-affiliated hotels and rooms in South India among major private hotel asset owners as of March 31, according to the Economic Times. With the six upcoming hotels, along with the Sheraton Grand Bangalore at Brigade Gateway and Four Points by Sheraton Kochi Infopark, BHVL’s Marriott portfolio will total eight hotels with 1,388 keys.
“Our growth strategy focuses on being present where our guests want us to be, as we continue to meet the demand for luxury travel and hospitality services,” said Rajeev Menon, Marriott’s president, Asia Pacific excluding China. “Today’s agreement underscores our relationship with the Brigade Group and leveraging our brand portfolio, we are confident these developments will meet the needs of travellers for every trip purpose.”
Upcoming projects
Courtyard by Marriott Chennai World Trade Center, Chennai, Tamil Nadu – 45 rooms, opening fiscal year 2027.
Fairfield by Marriott Bengaluru International Airport, Bengaluru, Karnataka – 224 rooms, opening fiscal year 2028.
Fairfield by Marriott Bengaluru Brigade Valencia, Bengaluru, Karnataka – 151 rooms, opening fiscal year 2028.
The Ritz-Carlton Vaikom Island, Kerala – 70 villas, opening fiscal year 2029.
JW Marriott Chennai OMR, Chennai, Tamil Nadu – 250 rooms, opening fiscal year 2030.
Thiruvananthapuram Marriott Hotel World Trade Center, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala – 200 rooms, opening fiscal year 2030.
BEL has a pipeline of about 16 million square feet of new launches in the residential and commercial segments and plans to add 1,700 keys to its hotel portfolio. BHVL operates nine hotels in Bengaluru, Karnataka; Chennai, Tamil Nadu; Kochi, Kerala; Mysuru, Karnataka and GIFT City, Gujarat, with 1,604 keys. The hotels are managed by Marriott, Accor S.A. and InterContinental Hotels Group. They are in the upper upscale, upscale, upper-midscale and midscale segments.
BHVL recently launched a $101.2 million initial public offering, including a $14.4 million pre-IPO placement, Business Standard reported. Hospitality revenue in the first quarter of fiscal year 2026 was $16.1 million, up 19 percent from the same period in fiscal year 2025, while EBITDA rose 34 percent to $5.5 million.
Separately, Bengaluru-based Prestige Hospitality Ventures recently secured Sebi approval for a $308 million initial public offering.