Key highlights:
- IHG Has signed up for 13 new hotels in 2012
- New expansions may create over 2600 new jobs
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has signed 13 new hotels in India in 2012, boosting its existing pipeline in the country to 47. These hotels – six under the Holiday Inn brand, six under the Holiday Inn Express brand and one Crowne Plaza, will open in key cities across India including Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and Pune.
On the planned expansion, Jan Smits, Chief Executive Officer for IHG in Asia, Middle East and Africa (AMEA), : “India is an extremely important market for IHG – one that we are always looking for the right opportunities to invest in. We have our second largest pipeline in Asia Pacific here after China. With international tourism increasing year on year and the continued strength of domestic tourism, we see incredible opportunities for growth. ”
It is expected that the new hotels will create more than 2,600 local jobs in addition to the 3,400 employees already working at hotels under the IHG family of brands and corporate offices in India. IHG currently has 13 hotels in nine cities across including Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai. IHG has had a presence in India for nearly 50 years and is strongly positioned to drive growth and continued investment opportunities in India’s key business and leisure hubs.
Smits said: “When a hotel opens it spurs infrastructure development and creates job opportunities. We’ll hire more than 10,000 people over the next few years”.
“Recruitment is one of our biggest challenges in India. We’re bringing the experience in international hotel management the country needs as it becomes a prime tourist destination. But we need more local graduates with hotel and tourism management training for the jobs we’re creating. We’re keen to work with universities and colleges in India through our IHG Academy programme to get that pipeline of talented people underway.”
The company is working with local educational institutions to deliver training in hospitality through its IHG Academy programme. There are currently nine Academy programmes with IHG hotels that have partnered with schools, universities or community organizations in Delhi, Bangalore, Mumbai, and Pune.