Hilton Bets India Will Become One of the World’s Largest Hotel Markets

According to CNBC, Hilton is expanding across Asia-Pacific as it bets India will become one of the world’s largest hotel markets, with Alan Watts, the company’s president of Asia Pacific, saying India is the most exciting travel and tourism market globally for the next decade and will become the third-largest lodging market on the planet. He said Asia-Pacific revenue per available room rose just over 1% in the second quarter, driven by China, while Hilton’s other four Asia markets were well up, including double-digit RevPAR growth in North Asia and India. Watts also said around eight out of every 10 room nights in the region are generated by travelers from within Asia. Hilton has 60 hotels under construction in India and commitments for 400 more with major partners, as it shifts from flagship properties in tier-one cities to mid-scale brands such as Hampton and Spark by Hilton for domestic travelers in tier-two and tier-three cities.