Hyatt CEO Mark Hoplamazian has called it “shocking” that India receives fewer than 10 million foreign visitors a year. He also said the government’s ambition of 100 million visitors is possible.
In an exclusive interview with CNBC-TV18 on Global Dialogue, Hoplamazian said India’s total inbound figure of about 21 to 22 million includes non-resident Indians (NRIs). Foreign arrivals, he said, are fewer than 10 million. “It’s quite unbelievable that we don’t have more foreigners coming to discover India,” he said.
He expects business travel to keep rising because of the economy’s vibrancy. He said tourism visitation would “explode” and be “extraordinary in its growth”. He pointed to the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision of about 100 million visitors, a tenfold rise, and said he believes it is possible.
Hyatt currently operates 55 hotels in India. It aims to grow to over 250 hotels within five years, which Hoplamazian said it would do without compromising on quality.
Spiritual and domestic travel
Hoplamazian said Hyatt already has hotels in Haridwar and Rishikesh and will open one in Puri next year. He also named Bodh Gaya as a spiritual destination. These are ancient destinations that will be better served by new hotels, he said. He called spiritual travel an essential part of discovering and understanding India.
He said domestic travel has accelerated dramatically. Younger people are taking shorter and more frequent trips, including serial weekend getaways. India recorded over 4 billion domestic visits last year, which he called a “staggering number”. Young people want to see their own country, he said.
Beyond spiritual sites, he cited natural destinations, from the backwaters of Kerala to the Himalayas and mountain stations, as places for outdoor activities.
Wellness as the biggest trend
Asked to name the single biggest trend he sees, Hoplamazian said it is wellbeing. The trend is global, he said, but has “more expressions in India than anywhere else”.
He said the world is changing so fast that it creates stress and sometimes anxiety. People are therefore focusing on their own wellbeing, which is important for caring for others and fulfilling what they want to do in life.
Hyatt has focused on wellbeing for eight or nine years, since it acquired Miraval, he said. The company is now expanding its wellbeing activities across India. It also bought Alila, an Asia-based brand that has properties in India.
“Our plan right now is to expand the number of offerings that we have, but also the number of dedicated well-being retreats in India,” he said.
Hoplamazian said India has a rich history of wellbeing practices. Hyatt is bringing new and different practices while honouring the lineage of Ayurvedic practices, he said.
He added that India’s younger generation is growing its income and stepping out to explore the world. Their attitude, he said, is to discover what is fulfilling for them rather than follow their parents’ footsteps. Hyatt cannot rely on the old playbook, he said, and must stay open-minded in approaching Indian guests.
