Luxury Hospitality Footprint Expands in East & North East India; Partnership Grows Beyond 40 Hote
Kolkata: Indian Hotels Company (IHCL), India’s largest hospitality enterprise, has announced a strategic agreement with the Ambuja Neotia Group for the development of 15 new hotels across its premium brand portfolio. This capital-light partnership marks a significant expansion, taking the total number of jointly developed properties to over 40 hotels.
Puneet Chhatwal, Managing Director & CEO of IHCL, highlighted the company’s commitment to unlocking untapped tourism potential in Eastern and North-Eastern India.
“IHCL’s pioneering legacy of building destinations like Rajasthan, Kerala, Goa and the Andaman & Lakshadweep Islands will now extend to the East and North East. We are delighted to extend our partnership with Ambuja Neotia Group, renowned for their luxury hospitality developments that reflect the spirit of this region,” he stated.
The first phase of this expansion includes:
- A Taj hotel in Darjeeling
- SeleQtions hotels in Kolkata and Siliguri
- A Tree of Life in Lataguri
Over the next five years, these projects will include greenfield, brownfield, and conversion ventures spread across West Bengal, Sikkim, and Himachal Pradesh. Notable developments will include Taj resorts in Sunderban, Shimla, Rabong, and Taj-branded luxury villas in Darjeeling, Sikkim, Lataguri, and Raichak.
Harshavardhan Neotia, Chairman of Ambuja Neotia Group, underscored the strategic importance of this collaboration:
“The North East, an unexplored region of India, has tremendous potential for bespoke luxury travel. Our association with IHCL, home to the iconic Taj brand – recently ranked as the World’s Strongest Hotel Brand – is a testament to our shared vision of putting this region on the global luxury tourism map.”
He further noted the growing demand for premium accommodations, citing the recent expansion at Taj Chia Kutir, Kurseong, and upcoming Taj-branded luxury villas in Darjeeling, Lataguri, and Gangtok.
