Accor signs Sofitel Ahmedabad, luxury debut in Gujarat
Accor has signed Sofitel Ahmedabad Palladium Mall Road, marking Sofitel’s debut in Gujarat. Scheduled to open in 2030, the 250-room hotel in Thaltej will feature five F&B outlets, around 2,550 sq. m. of banqueting and MICE space, wellness facilities and a kids’ club. The property will target luxury corporate and leisure travellers, while also catering to weddings, social celebrations and business events.
The Fern signs fourth hotel in Bengaluru
The Fern Hotels & Resorts has signed Novelle Beacon Hotel Bengaluru, Yelahanka, under its Beacon Hotels brand. The 35-room property will be the group’s fourth hotel in Bengaluru, taking its operational and upcoming portfolio in South India to 16 hotels. Designed for business and leisure travellers, the hotel will feature an all-day dining restaurant, conference room and banquet hall for corporate meetings, events and social celebrations.
Star Alliance to open Lounge at Incheon Airport
Star Alliance and Incheon International Airport Corporation have signed an MoU to establish a Star Alliance lounge at Terminal 1, expected to open in Q4 2026. The lounge will serve passengers of 14 member airlines, including Air India, which operates Delhi–Incheon services. The existing Asiana Airlines Business Lounge West will transition into the new lounge following Asiana’s departure from Star Alliance in December 2026.
DK Vertex unveils Convention Centre in Gurgaon
DK Vertex, in association with MSME Business Forum India, has launched a new convention centre at Udyog Vihar, Gurgaon. The venue forms part of the company’s ₹300 crore expansion plan covering 30+ centres across 10 cities, including Tier 2 and 3 markets. Designed for conferences, exhibitions, product launches and corporate events, the facility aims to support DK Vertex’s plan to double its events business over the next three years.
#First Opinion
“To significantly increase India’s global tourism share, I believe we need a coordinated national strategy combining connectivity, facilitation, infrastructure and aggressive international marketing. Visa processing must become faster and simpler, while direct air connectivity should expand. We must develop world-class destinations with strong last-mile connectivity, better amenities and cleaner public spaces, while promoting wellness, cruises, Buddhist circuits, wildlife, MICE, luxury and rural tourism. Government and industry must work together on one measurable national inbound tourism strategy.”
Rajiv Mehra,
Immediate Past President, IATO
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