Carlson Rezidor plans 120 hotels in India by 2020

It has planned to open eight new properties on an average every year in India

Carlson Rezidor, the largest foreign hotel brand in India by number of hotels, aims to maintain its lead over rivals with a pipeline of 40 properties which will come on stream in the country by 2020.

This will take its total active inventory to 120 hotels by the turn of the decade, from 77 properties at present. A senior company official said the international group would open eight new properties on an average every year.

Tata Group-run Indian Hotels, the country's largest hotel company that operates Taj, Vivanta by Taj, Gateway and Ginger brands, has 110 properties in India at present.  Raj Rana, chief executive (south Asia) at Carlson Rezidor, said: “We have seven brands globally, of which five are already present in India. The remaining two brands will also be brought here. While we’ll have at least 120 hotels operational by 2020, we will have 50 more properties in the pipeline by then. India provides a great opportunity for growth as the market remains under-supplied when you compare the tourist inflow.”  A third of its properties are running under the Radisson Blu brand, including a resort opened on Saturday at Karjat, Maharashtra.

While Radisson Blu, Radisson, Park Plaza, Park Inn by Radisson and Country Inns & Suites by Carlson are already open, the remaining two brands — Radisson Red and Quorvus Collection — will make their debut over the next two years in India.

While a Radisson Red will open in 2017 in Mohali, the company is holding talks with investors for the Quorvus brand, which will be positioned in the luxury category.

“We are talking to suitable partners and I think in the next two years, we should be able to launch the Quorvus brand in India. Most probably, it will be an existing property getting converted to Quorvus,” added Rana.  

This year, Carlson will open eight new properties including a 300-plus room Radisson Blu in Powai, Mumbai. Other properties are spread across Faridabad, Pune, Bengaluru, Karjat and Srinagar.

According to a recent report by rating agency Icra, hotel sector revenues are likely to improve 9-10 per cent in 2016-17, aided by improved occupancy.  

Last year, India-wide occupancy stood 62 per cent. In the first quarter of this year, occupancies rose to 66-67 per cent, according to Rana. For Carlson, the occupancy level stood at nearly 70 per cent.

Three-fourth of Carlson's inventory in India runs on management contract while the balance runs on franchises.