The Indian Hotels Company Ltd (IHCL), the hospitality arm of the Tata Group, has outlined plans to accelerate its journey towards its 2030 vision by integrating newly acquired brands, sustaining growth momentum, driving operational excellence and maintaining financial discipline.
Growth roadmap
In its Annual Report 2026, IHCL said its diversified business model has enabled it to build a resilient, scalable and future-ready hospitality ecosystem, delivering consistent growth across key business metrics over the last four financial years.
IHCL Managing Director and CEO Puneet Chhatwal said, “The coming year will bridge the journey to 2030 through integration and sharpening of our new brands, sustaining the growth momentum while pursuing operational excellence and maintaining financial health.”
Record expansion
FY26 marked a milestone year for the company with a record 250 hotel signings, taking its overall portfolio to 630 hotels through a combination of organic expansion and strategic acquisitions.
Chhatwal said, “FY26 marked a record of 250 signings, expanding our portfolio to 630 hotels through inorganic and sustained organic growth, delivering an expanded brandscape and scaling our presence in the midscale segment.”
The company also opened or onboarded 130 hotels during the year, increasing its operational portfolio to 375 hotels with more than 33,000 rooms.
Luxury and wellness push
Capitalising on rising affluence and growing demand for premium travel experiences, IHCL strengthened its luxury portfolio through the onboarding of Claridges Collection, a boutique luxury offering.
The company also acquired controlling stakes in Atmantan, an integrated wellness destination, and Brij Hospitality, an experiential leisure hospitality company, further expanding its presence in high-growth travel segments.
Midscale leadership
IHCL continued to strengthen its position in the midscale segment through Ginger Hotels. Following the acquisition of majority stakes in ANK Hotels and Pride Hospitality, Ginger’s portfolio has expanded to 250 hotels across 150 locations.
The company said the expansion reinforces Ginger’s leadership position in India’s fast-growing midscale hospitality market.
Industry outlook
IHCL remains optimistic about the long-term prospects of India’s travel and tourism sector, citing the country’s position as the fastest-growing major economy, rising disposable incomes, expanding travel infrastructure and a structurally undersupplied hospitality market.
With an industry-leading pipeline of 255 hotels, the company believes it is well positioned to capture future growth opportunities and unlock India’s tourism potential.
Resilience amid challenges
The company noted that FY26 was marked by geopolitical shifts, extreme weather events, trade disruptions and airline-related challenges. These uncertainties have continued into the current financial year due to the ongoing West Asia conflict, rising fuel prices and inflationary pressures.
Despite the challenging environment, IHCL delivered consistent performance, supported by its diversified portfolio of brands, balanced capital-light growth strategy and broad geographic presence.
Strong financial performance
According to the company, its diversification strategy across brands, geographies and contract structures has enhanced operating leverage, strengthened high-margin fee-based businesses and improved resilience.
Over the FY23-FY26 period, IHCL reported a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19% in revenue, 21% in EBITDA and 28% in profit after tax, underscoring the strength of its hospitality platform and long-term growth strategy.