UAE-headquartered Global Hotel Alliance (GHA), the world’s largest alliance of independent hotel brands, which this year marks its 20th anniversary, highlighted the Indian market’s unbridled tourism potential recently.
GHA’s stellar performance in India is indicative of the industry’s sharp upward trajectory, with revenue generated by its 13 Indian hotels across three brands (Leela, Araiya and Oaks) hitting a record USD68 million revenues in 2023, up from a previous pre-pandemic (2019) high of USD65 million, while the number of GHA DISCOVERY members residing in India also reached new heights, topping more than half a million (540,000), up 21% on 2022. Indian members also spent more at GHA hotels in India and around the world than ever before, generating a record USD60 million in hotel revenues, up 46% year-on-year and surpassing the 2019 total of USD41 million.
Domestic travel in India accounted for half of travel revenue in 2023 (51%), while international travel picked up…