In A League Of Its Own

Hyatt’s journey in India began in 1983, with the launch of Hyatt Regency Delhi.

- Gurmeet Sachdev

Which are the big growth markets for Hyatt in India?

From being one of the first international hospitality chains to establish operations in India over 35 years ago, the brand has exemplified how [hotels can] adopt the best of local culture, even while maintaining international hospitality standards.

Over the years, we have observed aparadigm shift in the way people travel, the cities they travel to, and the reasons they are travelling for. Our growth has been in sync with this dynamic shift. Most of our eight brands in India have a multi-brand presence across several cities. From travel to business and leisure, these cities have driven our expansion plans. Markets such as Bangalore and Kochi are also key to our expansion plans. People are increasingly travelling to Tier II/III cities for business, leisure and religious reasons. Even if these are smaller cities, travellers want the same standard of hospitality they are used to in larger ones.

For over three decades, we have focused on brand-led experiences with innovation at the core of our growth strategy. India holds a significant place in Hyatt’s global pipeline, third only to the US and China.

We look forward to partnering with owners who want personal, flexible relationships, and [desire] to stand out in a slightly overcrowded market. Our loyalty program, World of Hyatt, is a strategic initiative that drives the relevance of our connection to our customers—leading to greater engagement and resulting in a larger overlap between what we do and what they need. This works as a ‘sticky factor’ and drives greater share of the wallet, so that we’re a more relevant and integral part of our guests’ lives.