Infra status to hotels will drive growth: Marriott CEO

Marriott's bullish outlook follows strong performance in South Asia, where revenue per available room (RevPAR) grew by 11 per cent last year, driven by higher average daily rates (ADR) and occupancy.

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Key metropolitan hubs—including Hyderabad, Gurugram, Bengaluru, and Mumbai—were pivotal in driving ADR growth, the company noted in a statement last week.

However, Capuano pointed to challenges in the Indian tourism and hospitality sector. He said a lot of "friction" needs to be ironed out, such as granting the infrastructure status to hotels. "It's a big priority and an enabler for the acceleration of growth," he said.

Infrastructure status would allow the industry to access long-term financing at lower rates and streamline licensing. The FY26 Union Budget provided some relief, with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman granting infrastructure status to hotels in 50 selected tourist destinations.