Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) and Adani Airport Holdings Limited (AAHL) announced a multi-hotel operating agreement on Thursday for eight hotels comprising more than 2,000 rooms across Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Lucknow and Guwahati. According to reports from The Times of India, the hotels will operate under IHCL's Taj, Vivanta, Gateway and Ginger brands, with construction already begun for Mumbai, Lucknow and Ahmedabad properties. Most of the properties are expected to become operational in three to four years. Under the partnership, Adani Airports will develop the properties, while IHCL will manage their operations, building on AAHL's strategy to develop integrated airport cities combining hospitality, retail, entertainment, convention facilities and commercial infrastructure.
The comprehensive portfolio includes three Taj hotels, two Vivanta hotels, one Gateway hotel and two Ginger hotels, catering to luxury, upscale and midscale hospitality segments respectively. As reported by The Times of India, in Mumbai, the portfolio will feature a Taj hotel under construction at Terminal 2 of Mumbai airport. In Lucknow, development will comprise a Vivanta and a Ginger hotel, while Ahmedabad will include a Taj and a Vivanta, both in advanced stages of construction. Guwahati is set to feature a Taj, Gateway and Ginger property. Together, the eight properties will have more than 2,000 rooms and will feature accommodation, dining, meetings and events, wellness and recreational facilities. With this agreement, AAHL has now partnered with hotel brands for 15 hotels across its key airports in India.
Puneet Chhatwal, managing director and CEO of IHCL, emphasized that airport-centric developments are emerging as important commercial and hospitality hubs as India's aviation market expands. According to The Times of India, this collaboration will strengthen IHCL's leading multi-brand presence in India's key airports, bringing the total to 25 hotels across its brandscape at key airports in India. "As India strengthens its position as one of the world's fastest-growing aviation markets, airport-centric developments are emerging as important commercial and hospitality hubs," Chhatwal said. "Strengthening IHCL's leading multi-brand presence in India's key airports, this collaboration will include three Taj hotels, two Vivanta hotels, a Gateway hotel and two Ginger hotels catering to the diverse needs of business and leisure travellers across segments. With these additions, IHCL will have 25 hotels across its brandscape at key airports in India."
AAHL has formed Adani Airport City Limited with plans to develop a land bank of more than 655 acres across eight airports in seven states, including Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Jaipur and Guwahati. As reported by The Times of India, in the first phase, the company plans to invest more than ₹20,000 crore to develop about 22 million sq ft across these locations, including Navi Mumbai. The company plans to develop more than 655 acres across eight airports in seven states, including nearly 440 acres in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. Jeet Adani, director of Adani Airport Holdings Limited, noted that across the world, leading airports are evolving into integrated destinations that serve as catalysts for commerce, tourism and urban growth. "Our partnership with IHCL is an important step in this journey, bringing together our hospitality-led mixed-use destinations and India's leading hospitality company to create world-class hotels across key airport cities," Adani added.
Jeet Adani emphasized that at Adani Airports, their ambition extends beyond operating airports to developing vibrant Airport Cities that bring together hospitality, business, retail and leisure, while enhancing the overall passenger and visitor experience. According to The Times of India, this partnership is expected to expand hospitality infrastructure around aviation gateways as passenger traffic, tourism and business travel continue to strengthen the role of airport-linked districts. AAHL had previously partnered with IHG Hotels & Resorts earlier this year for five hotels spanning 1,200 rooms across Jaipur, Mangaluru, Thiruvananthapuram and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. Airport-linked commercial development is also attracting other real estate players, with Prestige Group announcing plans to develop a large integrated project within Bengaluru Airport City, including an 8,000-seater convention and exhibition centre, two luxury hotels, premium office and hotel space, and a performing arts hub. The agreement highlights the growing overlap between airport infrastructure and hospitality development, with airport-linked hotels catering to transit passengers, business travellers, tourists and visitors attending meetings and events.
