IHCL adds 2,500 jobs through new hotel openings in FY2025 – ET TravelWorld

Indian Hotels Company (IHCL) has strengthened its presence in the hospitality sector by signing 74 new agreements and opening 26 hotels during the financial year 2025. This growth has raised the company’s total portfolio to 380 properties across its brands.

According to Suma Venkatesh, Executive Vice President – Real Estate & Development at IHCL, over 95% of these signings follow an asset-light model, reinforcing the company’s pipeline of 137 hotels. “This was enabled by IHCL’s strong brand presence across market segments coupled with the sustained demand buoyancy,” Venkatesh noted. She further highlighted that the Gateway and Ginger brands represented a significant share of the new signings, reflecting the continued expansion of India’s upscale and midscale hotel segments.

Venkatesh also pointed to IHCL’s international strategy, with new properties signed in Bahrain and Ras Al Khaimah. These additions brought over 800 rooms under the Taj brand in the Middle East, further deepening IHCL’s regional footprint.

On the hotel openings side, Deepika Rao, Executive Vice President – Hotel Openings & New Businesses, stated that Ginger led the tally with nine new hotels. These covered a range of destinations including commercial hubs like Nagpur and Coimbatore, industrial towns such as Jamshedpur, and leisure spots including Srinagar, Udaipur and Diu. New openings also expanded the company’s presence in state capitals including New Delhi and Goa.

Rao added that the company’s portfolio now reflects a balanced blend of new markets and established locations. “IHCL pioneered new tourism destinations with SeleQtions and Gateway hotels in Diu and expanded its presence in spiritual destinations with a Taj resort in Puri,” she said. Select investments were also made in state capitals including Dehradun and Patna, as well as a new Taj hotel at Cochin International Airport.

The 26 new hotel openings have reportedly generated over 2,500 direct jobs, supporting local economies. IHCL says it remains on course to meet its long-term expansion target of 700 hotels under its Accelerate 2030 strategy.