Hilton has signed a licensing agreement designed to catapult forward the growth of its Hampton by Hilton brand in India.
The strategic partnership with NILE Hospitality has set the pair a target of growing the brand to 75 hotels in India, initially. The first of those hotels will come to the market in Bihar, Gujarat, Punjab and Rajasthan.
A big opportunity in India
Alan Watts, president for Asia Pacific at Hilton, explained the signficance of the move for his company: “This marks our mid-market moment in India, as significant macroeconomic growth, a rapidly rising middle class and the vast infrastructure development fuel demand for our brands and drive strong trading performance in the country.”
Hampton is Hilton’s largest brand by hotel count around the globe, numbering more than 3,000 properties in over 40 countries and territories. The brand has been growing in the Chinese market for more than a decade, with success there gained through partnerships with local hotel management and development partners.
The Hampton by Hilton brand is in the upper midscale segment of the market. Hilton says it will sit well alongside the group’s existing Hilton Garden Inn midscale brand, which already has eight properties in the country and is also growing.
Hilton also sees an opportunity for its Spark premium economy brand in India, and to that end it signed an agreement in 2024 with another local partner, Olive by Embassy, which will see the pair working towards a target of 150 hotels. Spark has been specifically designed to be a conversion-friendly brand, enabling faster deployment into the market.
“We are delighted to join hands with Hilton, bringing this celebrated brand to the region,” commented Vikram Singh Chauhan, CEO of NILE Hospitality. “This partnership represents an extraordinary opportunity for NILE to tap into the immense potential of the country’s growing middle-income segment.”
In China, where the brand has considerable momentum, there are many Hampton by Hilton hotels under construction. Recent openings include Hampton by Hilton Jinhua Sanjiangli, Hampton by Hilton Quanzhou Jinjiang International Airport and Hampton by Hilton Wuhan Huashiyuan North Road. Later in 2025, Hampton by Hilton hotels will open in Kunming Economic Development Zone, Mazhang and Zhoukou.
A fast growing partner
NILE Hospitality is a business that was started in 2018 as a hotel manager in India, and has become the country’s leading management company in that short time. It currently operates 24 hotels across 14 states, with a growing number of international brands in its stable, for brand groups including Wyndham Hotels, Radisson Hotel Group, and Hyatt Hotels.
While it currently manages over 1,500 rooms, the group has already secured commitments to add a further 2,000 rooms. With Wyndham, it is working on introducing the Microtel by Wyndham brand to the country, expecting to open 40 Microtel by 2031. And with Radisson Hotel Group, it will be working to grow the presence of the Park Inn & Suites brand across India, and particularly in Gujarat and Rajasthan.
