NEW DELHI: Global hospitality chain Hyatt Hotels Corporation is expected to have up to 90 hotels in India in the next five years as it seeks to tap the country's potential of leisure and hospitality, according to the company's Group President Peter Fulton.
The company, which on Wednesday opened its third Hyatt Centric hotel in India with the opening of a new property in the national capital, will increase its total number of hotels to 50 by next year, up from 34 hotels at present.
"India is our third fastest growing market after the US and China. While both the US and China are adding hotels at a very fast rate, we are also opening new ones in India," Fulton told PTI here on the sidelines of the launch of the new Hyatt Centric hotel.
Asked how many hotels could Hyatt have in India in the next five years, he said, "Next year, we will have 50 (hotels) and in the next five years it could go up to around 80 to 90 hotels."
In terms of brands for the new hotels to be opened next year, he said, "The brands that we have been operating will be represented in those 50 hotels as we open. There is no new brand that has plan to come (launched) into the country..."
The company has brands such as Hyatt Regency, Grand Hyatt, Park Hyatt, Alila, Hyatt Centric, Hyatt Place and Andaaz in India.
Stating that India is an extremely vibrant country with tremendous potential, Fulton said, "I do not think we have really scratched the surface of what is out there in the way of leisure and hospitality yet, and I think it will continue to grow from strength to strength."
On being asked about the recovery from the COVID impact, he said the world is responding to different levels of COVID.
"It is very interesting. India is bouncing back very quickly, and if I look at the pace on the books over the next couple of months, it is extremely vibrant," he added.
The Middle East has performed extremely well all through the pandemic, with Dubai recording numbers better than 2019, he said, adding in Western Europe, it is at different levels depending on countries and their respective responses towards COVID.
Hyatt India and South-West Asia Managing Director Sunjae Sharma said the recovery in the Indian market has picked up pace and is being driven by domestic leisure travel.
With offices opening up and associates returning to work, Corporate and MICE segments are also expected to recover, he said, adding in the coming months, the overall recovery could reach pre-pandemic levels, provided there is no further wave of the virus.