- Kolkata hotels are sold out amid T20, weddings and conferences.
- The city has about 7,500 rooms and 157 banquet halls with capacity for 30,000.
- Occupancy varies, with some days seeing high demand for rooms and banquets.
MOST STAR-RATED HOTELS in Kolkata are reportedly sold out for the next 20 days due to the T20 World Cup, consecutive wedding dates and business conferences. The city is hosting several World Cup matches and the wedding season has resumed after a two-month break.
Kolkata has around 7,500 rooms in five- and four-star hotels and 157 banquet halls with a total capacity of 30,000, but most venues are booked for this month and much of March, according to The Economic Times.
Hotel and Restaurant Association of Eastern India President Sudesh Poddar said Kolkata’s hospitality industry is experiencing high demand.
“The demand for hotel rooms and banquets is usually high during this time of year, but this season it has skyrocketed,” he told the Times. “With inbound tourist flow on the rise, we feel this trend will continue till the end of March.”
K. Mohanchandran, IHCL’s senior vice president of operations, said the city’s hospitality calendar over the next few weeks includes MICE events, weddings, the T20 World Cup, an international chess tournament and a literary meet.
“Foreign leisure travel is also scheduled at this time of year,” he said. “Rooms and banquets at the group’s Kolkata properties—Taj Bengal, Taj Taalkutir, Taj City Centre and Vivanta—are booked for several dates this month.”
With demand rising, patrons are paying more to stay in the city, the Times said. Granth Kapoor, visiting from Delhi on business, found room rates above his company entitlement and had to secure special approval to book a room.
Gaurav Soneja, ITC Royal Bengal and ITC Sonar’s cluster general manager, said demand was strong at both hotels.
“We are sold out on all wedding dates. Additionally, we are hosting several large residential conferences. Most days in January are booked. February is also heavily booked,” he said.
Kamal Raja, Lalit Suri Hospitality’s general manager of development, said his hotel is fully booked for the first half of February and 85 percent booked for the rest of the month and until March 15.
"In January, too, some days were fully booked," he said, according to the Times.
Nitu Agarwal, Hyatt Regency Kolkata’s marketing and communications manager, said the booking pace remains steady.
“Occupancy varies by date, with some days seeing high demand for rooms and banquets,” he said.
The Hotel Association of India recently met Tourism and Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat to review hotel rates in Delhi ahead of the AI Impact Summit from Feb. 16 to 20. A recent nationwide survey highlighted consumer concerns over high rates during major events and calls for government regulation.
Media reports said standard rooms in Delhi reached $1,100 or more per night as the city prepared to host AI experts.
