Experience over price\u2014but with nuance<\/strong><\/p>\nWhile it\u2019s tempting to frame this as a shift from price to experience, the reality is more layered.<\/p>\n
\u201cTravellers are not ignoring price or location, but they are no longer stopping there. What is changing is that price now has to make experiential sense,\u201d Khandelwal notes.<\/p>\n
This is being accelerated by digital behaviour. Social media, mobile-first bookings, and real-time discovery are compressing the gap between inspiration and transaction. Nearly 40% of travellers now book immediately after seeing travel content online, while mobile bookings dominate last-minute decisions.<\/p>\n
The result: a traveller who is not just more informed\u2014but more intentional.<\/p>\n
Multi-format is the new playbook<\/strong><\/p>\nFor hospitality companies, this shift is translating into a strategic rethink.<\/p>\n
Moustache, which began as a hostel-first brand in 2016, has since expanded into a three-tier structure\u2014Hostels, Select (mid-market), and Luxuria (boutique premium).<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat led us to expand was the realisation that Indian travel demand was no longer moving in a single line,\u201d says Co-Founder Deepak Agarwal. \u201cPeople were travelling more often, but not always for the same reason, and certainly not with the same expectations from where they stayed.\u201d<\/p>\n
This multi-format approach allows brands to tap into different demand pools while retaining a unified identity.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are building a hospitality platform where the product changes with the travel need while the brand promise remains intact,\u201d Khandelwal explains.<\/p>\n
Mid-market and premium gain momentum<\/strong><\/p>\nWhile all segments are growing, structural tailwinds are strongest in mid-market and premium experiential stays.<\/p>\n
\u201cMid-market is especially strong because it sits at the intersection of comfort, reliability, and value,\u201d Agarwal says.<\/p>\n
At the same time, premium demand continues to outpace supply, creating pricing power at the higher end. Boutique hospitality, in particular, is seeing strong projected growth, driven by demand for privacy, design, and destination-led experiences.<\/p>\n
Clarity as a competitive advantage<\/strong><\/p>\nIn a crowded digital marketplace, where travellers scroll through dozens of options in seconds, brand clarity is emerging as a decisive differentiator.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf a brand does not clearly communicate who it is for, it risks being overlooked,\u201d Khandelwal says.<\/p>\n
Moustache\u2019s recent restructuring into clearly defined verticals was aimed at solving precisely this problem.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe three-tier structure reduces decision stress, tells the guest exactly what each format stands for, and makes it easier for them to identify the stay that fits their trip.\u201d<\/p>\n
The big picture<\/strong><\/p>\nWith India\u2019s hotel sector projected to expand significantly over the next few years, the industry is moving toward sharper segmentation, distributed demand across emerging destinations, and stronger premiumisation.<\/p>\n
But at its core, the shift is behavioural.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe defining trend will be the rise of intent-led travel, where people choose a trip based on how they want it to feel, not just where they want to go,\u201d Khandelwal says.<\/p>\n
For hospitality players, that means one thing: selling rooms is no longer enough. The future belongs to those who can sell experiences aligned with intent.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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