Branded Hospitality in a Wildlife Destination

The upcoming Holiday Inn Resort Sasan Gir will feature 92 rooms, including 11 suites, positioning it to serve leisure travellers, families and groups seeking a combination of nature-led experiences and contemporary resort amenities.

The development will include five food and beverage outlets, a swimming pool, fitness centre, spa and retail facilities.

A significant component of the project is its meetings and events infrastructure. The resort will offer 1,366 sq. m. of meeting and event space across four venues, including a 1,170 sq. m. ballroom, enabling it to cater to destination weddings, social celebrations and group events.

The combination of leisure accommodation and event-led infrastructure points to a broader commercial proposition, allowing the property to address multiple demand segments rather than relying exclusively on wildlife tourism.

Tapping into India's Experiential Travel Economy

Sasan Gir’s appeal is rooted in its wildlife heritage, but its hospitality potential extends to family holidays, short leisure breaks and destination celebrations.

For IHG, the signing aligns with a wider strategy of expanding internationally recognised hotel brands into high-potential Indian markets where domestic tourism and changing travel preferences are creating opportunities for new development.

Holiday Inn Resort draws on the wider Holiday Inn brand's established positioning, combining familiar service standards with destination-oriented leisure experiences. The property will also benefit from IHG’s global distribution network, enterprise systems and IHG One Rewards loyalty programme.

Commenting on the development, Sudeep Jain, Managing Director, South West Asia, IHG Hotels & Resorts, said, “As one of India's leading wildlife tourism destinations, Sasan Gir presents an exciting opportunity to extend our presence into a distinctive leisure market in Gujarat. We believe the destination's natural appeal, combined with the growing interest in experiential travel, makes it a compelling addition to our expansion plans.”

Jain highlighted the brand's suitability for leisure destinations, noting that the planned accommodation, dining and extensive wedding and event facilities would enable the resort to serve a diverse traveller base.

A New Hospitality Investment for Paix Hospitality

For Paix Hospitality LLP, the agreement marks an entry into the hospitality sector, with the development designed around Sasan Gir's evolving tourism potential.

Kuldipsinh Ghoghubha Jadeja of Paix Hospitality LLP said: “For us, Holiday Inn Resort Sasan Gir represents an opportunity to enter the hospitality sector with a development that responds to the destination's evolving potential.”

He further emphasised the opportunity to create a resort combining leisure accommodation, dining, weddings and social gatherings, supported by IHG's established hospitality platform.

The signing reflects an increasingly visible direction in India's hospitality development landscape: the expansion of branded accommodation into leisure markets with established destination appeal and potential for diversified demand.

For Sasan Gir, the proposed resort represents an addition to the region's hospitality pipeline, combining wildlife-led tourism with the commercial opportunities presented by destination weddings, group travel and social events.

With an anticipated opening in Q1 2031, Holiday Inn Resort Sasan Gir adds to IHG's long-term development plans in India, as international operators continue to look beyond established metropolitan markets for future growth.

Property Highlights:

• 92 rooms
• Five food and beverage outlets
• Amenities: swimming pool, fitness centre, spa
• Meeting and event space across four venues