Priyanka Saxena Ray
How important is the India market in your larger global growth strategy, and what kind of expansion are you looking at in the coming years?
India is one of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts’ most important strategic growth markets globally and continues to play a significant role in our long-term expansion plans. The country’s strong domestic travel demand, rapidly growing middle class, expanding infrastructure and increasing appetite for branded accommodation create compelling opportunities across both established and emerging destinations.
Our growth strategy is focused on expanding where demand is strongest from major metropolitan cities to fast-growing Tier II and Tier III markets, as well as leisure, pilgrimage and commercial destinations.
Equally important is partnering with local developers who understand their markets and recognise the value that an international brand, global distribution network and one of the world’s largest hotel loyalty programmes can bring.
How is Wyndham adapting its brands and offerings to meet the expectations of both domestic and outbound Indian guests?
Indian travellers today are seeking far more than simply a place to stay. They are looking for authentic experiences, personalised service and excellent value, whether travelling within India or internationally.
Our approach is to combine the consistency and reassurance of a trusted global brand with experiences that reflect the local destination. At our leisure properties, this means curating experiences that celebrate local culture, cuisine and heritage. At our resort hotels, we continue to strengthen our offering for weddings, celebrations and multigenerational family travel, all of which remain important demand drivers in India.
For business travellers, we focus on delivering seamless, efficient stays with flexible dining, modern technology and the comforts that Indian guests expect. Across every segment, our goal is to ensure guests enjoy a locally relevant experience backed by internationally recognised service standards.
Which segments are driving the strongest growth for Wyndham in India — leisure, business travel, weddings, MICE, spiritual tourism or emerging Tier-II and Tier-III markets?
One of the strengths of the Indian market is that growth is being driven by several complementary segments rather than a single demand source.
Domestic leisure travel remains exceptionally strong, fuelled by increasing disposable incomes and a growing preference for shorter, more frequent holidays. Weddings and social events also continue to generate significant demand, particularly across our resort portfolio.
At the same time, we are seeing strong momentum in spiritual and cultural tourism. Destinations such as Ayodhya, Varanasi and Dwarka are attracting increasing numbers of domestic and international visitors, creating new opportunities for quality branded accommodation.
Perhaps the most exciting trend, however, is the continued growth of Tier II and Tier III cities. Improved connectivity, infrastructure investment and rising commercial activity are transforming many of these markets, making them increasingly attractive for hotel development and reinforcing Wyndham’s long-term expansion strategy across India.
How do you decide which brand fits a particular Indian destination, and are there any new brands you are keen to introduce in the market?
Selecting the right brand always begins with understanding the destination rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach.
We carefully evaluate the market’s primary demand drivers whether they are corporate travel, leisure, religious tourism, weddings or mixed-use development as well as the competitive landscape, target customer and owner’s investment objectives. From there, we identify the Wyndham brand that offers the strongest commercial opportunity while meeting the expectations of future guests.
With a portfolio of 25 brands, we have the flexibility to serve a wide range of markets and traveller segments. While we continue to strengthen established brands such as Ramada, Ramada Encore, Wyndham Garden and Howard Johnson, we also see opportunities to introduce additional brands over time.
Sustainability, technology and loyalty programmes are becoming key differentiators in hospitality. How is Wyndham strengthening these areas?
Our Wyndham Rewards loyalty programme continues to be a significant differentiator, giving members access to meaningful benefits across thousands of hotels worldwide. For Indian travellers, who are travelling internationally more than ever before, the ability to earn and redeem points globally adds real value and encourages long-term loyalty.
Technology is another major focus. We continue to invest in digital platforms and solutions that make the guest journey more seamless from booking and check-in through to personalised experiences during the stay.
On sustainability, our focus is on helping hotel owners adopt practical initiatives that reduce environmental impact while strengthening operational performance. In India, we are also proud of partnerships that create a positive community impact, such as our collaboration with Christel House Bengaluru, which supports access to education and employment opportunities for underserved young people.
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