Hyatt to expand in tier II, III markets

Hyatt is gearing up for an expansion in India, with plans to open hotels in tier II, III markets this year. Following successful opening of 10 hotels last year, the hotel group is set to open eight more hotels in 2023. It is also focusing on weddings and M!CE business and recently conducted a successful campaign ‘Weddings at the Hyatt’.

Janice Alyosius

Hyatt has plans to open hotels in tier-II and tier-III markets in India. Shrikant Wakharkar, Area Vice President, North and General Manager, Hyatt Regency Delhi, said the brand is on expansion spree this year, with plans to open about eight hotels in tier II and III markets in India. This comes after the hotel group opened 10 hotels in 2022. “These openings include large-format hotels like Grand Hyatt Gurgaon and Hyatt Regency in Trivandrum. The hotel chain is also looking to expand its footprint in Bangladesh next year,” Wakharkar said.

Last year, the domestic movement within India was significant. Wakharkar said, “It was great to see a bounce back of sorts. This year, there is a revival of international movement as well, especially with the G20 summit happening in India, which is good for the industry. There is movement happening across India where several G20 summits will take place.”

Hyatt has also been focusing on weddings and M!CE business this year. “Hyatt’s recent campaign called ‘Weddings at the Hyatt’ has been successful, with videos going viral on social media. The brand is looking at weddings in a big way and will focus on M!CE at large-format and destination hotels such as Goa, Cochin, and Jaipur,” Wakharkar said.

Adding to Wakharkar’s views, Barun Gupta, Director Sales and Marketing, Hyatt Regency Delhi, said, “Given our vast inventory and impressive banquet facilities, our primary focus will be on weddings and M!CE events. We have three sets of banquet halls, including the mansion and the Regency Ballroom, which are perfect for hosting a mix of weddings and M!CE events. This year, with the availability of inventory in the city and the increasing volume of M!CE and group business, we are well-equipped to cater to them.”

Elaborating on the wedding segment, Gupta said, “Many people prefer resort locations for residential weddings, but we have also seen a rise in residential weddings happening in city hotels, especially in the west. We are pioneers in providing complete residential wedding setups within hotels, with the number of rooms and various banquet spaces and outdoor areas that we offer. In addition to catering to local weddings, we also host inbound weddings from markets such as the USA and the UK, with numerous NRI weddings scheduled for this year. Our critical focus will be on hosting the G20 meetings this year and residential weddings.”

The brand has tied up with travel planners, agents, and wedding planners, and last year, they organized fam trips at various wedding destinations. “We also implemented several initiatives last year. Most of them are likely to come to fruition this year,” he said.

Wakharkar said Hyatt is optimistic about the industry future. “The hotel chain is fortunate to have seen a strong bounce back in post-COVID and is bullish on near and distant future,” he added.