2000 ‘Best’ keys soon

Best Western Hotels & Resorts has gradually been covering ground in India. The hotel chain is now targeting 10 openings in the region during the first half of 2020.

Anupriya Bishnoi

Having begun with its flagship brand, Best Western, the international hotel chain grew to seven brands by the end of 2014 and beginning 2015, it underwent a brand refresh to broaden the appeal with a contemporary and energetic look, and to distinguish each of its brands and their exceptional offerings by creating more white space between them. “Since then, more brands have been added to the portfolio as a response to the evolving trends and business needs of promoters. In 2019, three more brands were added to the portfolio with the acquisition of WorldHotels,” shares Atul Jain, Chief Operating Officer (India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka), Best Western Hotels & Resorts. Today, the group has 16 brands and over 4,500 hotels in more than 100 countries. “We have been experiencing a remarkable growth and penetration into diverse markets in India in the past three years, and we hope to gather more pace with the opening of 10 more hotels in the next six months that will take our tally to 2000 operating keys. This would be followed by the opening of over 1000 keys in the pipeline. Apart from reinforcing our presence, we’re also focused on opening hotels under other brands in the portfolio to show that we have much more to offer,” Jain adds. The new hotels will operate under Best Western, Best Western Plus, SureStay Plus, and SureStay Hotel by Best Western brands in locations across India.

We have been experiencing remarkable growth in diverse markets in India, and we hope to gather pace

Besides new-build hotels, the group will also seek ‘conversion hotels’ to aid rapid expansion. Jain adds, “For us in India, success lies in quality rather than quantity, and emotional investment.”