Hotels roll out red carpet as big fat Indian weddings make a comeback

2.5 million marriages may get solemnised during the wedding season starting next week; tariff at hotels up by a record 25-30% over 2019-20 levels

The cash registers are set to ring more frequently at hotels and resorts in India, as the big fat Indian weddings return after a two-year hiatus. This is even as the small, intimate ceremonies which became popular during the pandemic are also set to keep those employed in the hospitality sector on their toes.

As many as 2.5 million marriages are expected to get solemnised during the wedding season that gets underway from next week and stretches on till April, as per industry estimates.

With no restrictions on the number of guests, hotels of all sizes and formats are in huge demand with most running at a record optimal capacity and rates. Most hotels are seeing the number of weddings they are likely to host this season surpass the peak of 2019-20.

“We have over 257 bookings for this season till March as compared to 142 in 2019-20 and many more are in the queue,” said SP Jain chairman SP Group that owns and operates Pride Hotels & Resorts.

With a pan-India presence, some of its properties in metros and non-metros can host two weddings simultaneously and can accommodate as many as 2000 guests, he claimed.

Upscale luxury brands too are seeing a similar trend.  “We are witnessing an uptick in demand for the upcoming wedding season. Our hotels across key leisure destinations, including Karjat, Lonavala, Vizag, Goa, Dharamshala, and Udaipur are geared up for welcoming guests,” said Zubin Saxena,   Managing Director and Vice President Operations, South Asia, Radisson Hotel Group.

Weddings came to the rescue of the hospitality sector when the going was tough, says Manav Thadani, co-founder-- Hotelivate, a hospitality consulting firm.

“Last two years a lot of hotels just survived because of the weddings. While there were restrictions on the number of people, etc. the business from weddings never stopped in India.”  The pandemic also saw the reverse migration trend from standalone banquet halls to hotels as people felt a lot more secure from the hygiene point of view. That trend seems to be continuing, he added.

The destination wedding segment has definitely seen a rise post pandemic, said a spokesperson at ITC Hotels adding that there is a stronger affinity for locations in India that are not only inherently beautiful but also offer excellent wedding friendly facilities. ITC Grand Bharat in Gurgaon, ITC Grand Goa, ITC Mughal in Agra or ITC Rajputana in Jaipur are great wedding destinations, the spokesperson added.

Uttarakhand -based Leisure Hotel Group that owns and runs premium hotels under its own brand and is also the asset owner of Indian Hotel Co’s Taj and Ginger hotels in Northern India, is looking to host as many as 40 weddings in Corbett National Park alone this season as against 30 it did in 2019-20, said Vibhas Prasad, owner Leisure Hotels Group.

“This time around, in an unprecedented trend we are seeing people choosing even the non-Saya dates (not so auspicious dates as per the Hindu calendar) to get married. Not only is there demand for more rooms but also other services such as decorations, flower arrangements and other ancillaries,” said Prasad. The room tariffs and other charges on non-Saya dates are lower by almost 30 per cent compared to the auspicious days,” stated.

Hotels are going all out to offer curated packages. Radisson Hotels instance is offering immersive guest journeys customized for couples and families like champagne welcome, speedboat transfers, thematic dinners, etc. Guests can also select from handpicked menus with signature cuisine options from the kitchens of its 108 hotels across India.

According to a survey conducted by WeddingWire India, a market place for wedding professionals, most couples are focussing on quality over quantity and also cutting down on people on the guest list. Themed and personalized weddings are also emerging as the latest trends in the wedding market. Couples are also more gravitated toward sustainable options for their big day.

To be sure, hotels in India never had it so good.  Call it revenge travel or wedding trends or pent up demand. All segments of the business – from leisure, and business travel to weddings and food and beverage are seeing a robust demand, according to hoteliers and guests have no qualms in paying a higher price.

The tariff for wedding packages at Pride Hotels for instance – that includes everything from welcome drinks to the Bidaai (bride’s send-off ceremony) is up 25-30 per cent compared to 2019-20.

“The costs have doubled in the last couple of years–from electricity, manpower and groceries to other consumables. But profits have not gone up in the same proportion. So if we hadn’t taken the price increase we would have run into losses,” said Jain adding that given the strong demand there is room for further increase.

Even as international travel has resumed domestic travel will continue rti be the mainstay for hotels. Visa delays, sharp increase in air fares owing to high ATF (aero turbine fuel) prices have kept both the inbound and outbound tourism in check.

“The traditional source markets are under pressure—be it the UK, Europe, Russia or the US. There are also massive visa issues. The cost of the airline tickets has gone through the roof and people have cut back on international travel in a big way,” said Thadani.

• Popular wedding destinations: Jaipur, Jaisalmer, Udaipur Goa, Corbett
• Most hotels overbooked, commanding a premium of 25-30% over FY20
• Demand for more number of rooms, more ancillary services to boost revenue
• Number of weddings at hotels doubles compared to pre-pandemic year
• Non-availability of rooms leading to postponement of weddings by a few months