Marriott International aims to establish a brand presence in each of India’s 785 districts. Rajeev Menon, President–Asia Pacific (excluding China), told CNBC-TV18 that the company is focused on developing talent in every country it operates in and currently employs 35,000 associates in India. It plans to add 30,000 more associates over the next few years, including through internship programmes. Marriott has also partnered with hotel management institutes in Delhi, Bengaluru, Kolkata and Lucknow to nurture local talent as tourism ambassadors.
On the impact of US tariffs, Menon said tourism thrives in times of peace and stability. He noted that India’s broader economic growth and strong domestic travel will continue to drive the sector. Praising the government’s infrastructure push across the country, he said improved air connectivity and rising incomes could fuel exponential tourism growth as India moves toward becoming the world’s third-largest economy by FY30.
Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of tourism contributing 10% to GDP by 2029, up from over 5% now, Menon stressed the need for sustained infrastructure investment and public-private partnerships to promote destinations nationwide. He highlighted visa policies, connectivity and infrastructure status for tourism as key enablers, saying this could help the industry access lower-cost loans and incentives.
Expressing optimism about Asia Pacific, he noted that the region is home to over 4 billion people—more than 60% of the global population—and will remain a tourism hotspot. While western travellers continue to visit the region, growing wealth within Asia is also boosting intra-regional travel and outbound tourism to the West.
On the impact of US tariffs, Menon said tourism thrives in times of peace and stability. He noted that India’s broader economic growth and strong domestic travel will continue to drive the sector. Praising the government’s infrastructure push across the country, he said improved air connectivity and rising incomes could fuel exponential tourism growth as India moves toward becoming the world’s third-largest economy by FY30.
Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of tourism contributing 10% to GDP by 2029, up from over 5% now, Menon stressed the need for sustained infrastructure investment and public-private partnerships to promote destinations nationwide. He highlighted visa policies, connectivity and infrastructure status for tourism as key enablers, saying this could help the industry access lower-cost loans and incentives.
Expressing optimism about Asia Pacific, he noted that the region is home to over 4 billion people—more than 60% of the global population—and will remain a tourism hotspot. While western travellers continue to visit the region, growing wealth within Asia is also boosting intra-regional travel and outbound tourism to the West.
