How IHCL Is Using Sound to Redefine the Luxury Hotel Experience

Celebrating its 10th edition, the Serendipity Arts Festival has transformed Goa into a global stage for art, culture, and ideas. Founder Sunil Kant Munjal speaks with SOH about building a festival of this scale and now expanding it beyond India’s shores.

A Festival Where Ideas Take Flight

A brand of many firsts

The India story

Craft. Service. Scale.

Crafted through innovation

The host with the most

Leadership lessons from Prof Andreas Buske

In conversation with 'India’s Crystal Man', Prof. Dr. Andreas Buske, Owner and Board Director of Zwiesel Fortessa AG, which has shaped the way the world experiences glassware.

The Man Who Reimagined Crystal for the World

India’s top restaurateurs give lessons of leadership in the restaurant industry.

12 Leadership Lessons from India’s Most Inventive Restaurateurs

Is the Indian diner really becoming more adventurous, especially outside the metros?

What has been your experience expanding your brands internationally? 

How do you navigate the wildly different expectations diners bring in, from globally travelled Indians to foreigners?

How are you bringing Kerala’s  food and drink culture to an international audience at Chatti New York? 

How do you build an authentic community in an age where followers are mistaken for loyalists?

What were the challenges of introducing an izakaya-style dining concept to Mumbai?  

What does the word izakaya mean  to you personally, and how did you interpret it for an Indian audience? 

What is at the heart of a great restaurant?

How do you refresh menus, spaces, or stories year after year?

Are 20-seat speakeasies or members-only concepts smarter than 80-seaters?  

What is your approach to guest  interaction and technology in the  front-of-house experience? 

Do you think the Michelin guide is relevant in India’s current dining scene, or are there bigger challenges to address first?  

Are Indore residents adventurous when it comes to eating out?  

What is that one thing about Goan food which people most commonly get wrong? 

How do you build an authentic  community in an age where followers  are mistaken for loyalists? 

What keeps you up at night?  And makes it all worth it?

What first drew you to agave spirits and inspired the creation of Maya Pistola? 

What defines a truly memorable  guest experience? 

How do you refresh menus, spaces, or stories year after year? 

Inside the minds of the country's most influential restaurateurs.

India’s New Restaurant Playbook

Visakhapatnam: The Coastal Powerhouse 

Visakhapatnam has recently seen a rapid growth in the branded hospitality segment. What factors would you ascribe to this trend?

What are your hotel’s top tourist sources by revenue? How does the split look between leisure/FIT/social events, business, and MICE guests—and between local and non-local visitors?

Could you give us an idea about the occupancy trends and ARRs in recent years—pre-COVID to post-COVID? By how much are ARRs up in 2025 compared to recent years?

How do you see the evolution of Visakhapatnam’s tourism potential?

Any other factor(s) that are crucial to understanding the current hospitality trends in Visakhapatnam?

Is there a new ‘jewel on the East Coast’?

What are the main opportunities for growth for the city’s hotels? What steps would you suggest to increase travel to the city?

What are the top challenges to growth for the city?

With new investments pouring into the largest city of Andhra Pradesh and an established industrial hub, Visakhapatnam, also known as Vizag, is poised for rapid growth, and hospitality majors are eager to be part of the process.

Visakhapatnam East Coast’s New  Crown Jewel

How do you save with sustainability?

How does one measure the value of sustainability?

Hotels are redefining investments in sustainability while remaining conscious about rising costs.

Running Hospitality Sustainably

Many Incredible Indias

Tourism: A Catalyst for Livelihoods

Learning from Global Models

The Three I’s for Viksit Bharat 2047

Tourism and hospitality are not just economic drivers; they are “mirrors of a nation’s soul,” believes Dr Shashi Tharoor, Member of Parliament, &amp; Chairman, External Affairs Committee of Parliament, as he shares his thoughts on the pillars for Viksit Bharat 2047 and the many ‘Incredible Indias’ waiting to be discovered.

Come And Find Your Own India: Dr Shashi Tharoor on Discovering the Many Indias

The global upheaval and the economic reality

Strategic repositioning: India as a beneficiary

Long-term resilience: Opportunities and adaptation 

The resilience of Indian stock market and industry

Despite global market volatility triggered by U.S. tariffs

While the shadow of U.S.-led tariffs and stock market turbulence looms large, India's vibrant hospitality sector is charting its own course. Driven by robust domestic demand and the emergence of Tier-2 cities as new tourism hubs, the industry is witnessing a surge in investment.

Defying Global Headwinds

Entrepreneurship challenges

Milestones, values

Future horizons

Mentors and influences

Rajesh Magow, CEO, Makemytrip, on innovation, resilience, and leading India's favourite travel platform.

The Journey from Startup to Travel Super App: MakeMyTrip 

Talking tech

Future? Planned!

The essentials for Tier II and Tier III markets

Creating an army

Mid-market opportunity

Why Values Matter

Three decades, 120+ hotels. The remarkable success story of Sarovar Hotels 30 years on, especially in the hitherto oft-ignored midscale segment of Indian hospitality, has transformed the hospitality landscape in India.

The Middle Path to Profitability

Challenges remain

The Union Minister of Tourism &amp; Culture, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat calls for greater investment for the Indian tourism sector. &nbsp;

Pulling for Infrastructure Status

Boosting Tourism

The Karnataka government announced a slew of initiatives to boost tourism in the state during the inaugural session of the annual FHRAI conference.

Karnataka: The next tourism hotspot?

India as a priority

The Asian Paradigm

Q&A with Federico J. González

Under the leadership of Federico J. González, CEO of Radisson Hotel Group and Board Director of Louvre Hotels Group, the groups are showing an impressive growth.

Leading with Empathy and Vision

From its founding philosophy to its growth milestones and expansion blueprint, Solene—the private members’ club by the Isprava Group—is shaping a new chapter in luxury living. Founders Nibhrant Shah, Managing Director &amp; Co-CEO, and Dhimaan Shah, Executive Director &amp; Co-CEO, share the strategies fuelling its success in India’s evolving private club market.

Micro-Hospitality Is the Future & We Intend To Be At The Centre Of It

Zubin Saxena, Senior Vice President and Regional Head, South Asia, Hilton

Ajay K. Bakaya, Chairman, Sarovar Hotels & Director, Louvre Hotels India

Tejus Jose, Director of Operations at ibis & ibis Styles India

Rajesh Magow, Co-Founder and Group CEO, MakeMyTrip

Dr Sanjay Sethi, MD & CEO, Chalet Hotels Limited

Sarbendra Sarkar, Founder & MD, Cygnett Hotels and Resorts

Sumit Mitruka, CEO and founder, Summit Hotels & Resorts

Amit Damani, Co-Founder, StayVista

India’s recent GST cut on hotel rooms up to ₹7,500 per night is set to reshape the hospitality landscape, with industry experts weighing in on how the reform will boost domestic travel, and the sector’s growth trajectory.

GST Cut to Fuel India’s Hospitality Growth

In conversation with Sanjiv Hulugalle, the Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams, Sri Lanka, on the spirit, culture, uniqueness and diverse experiences at the country's largest integrated resort.

Sanjiv Hulugalle: The Man At The Helm Of Sri Lanka’s $1.2 Billion Dreamscape

Q&A with Amit Damani, Co-Founder, StayVista

From sell-out holiday weekends to an ambitious five-year expansion plan, StayVista is reshaping how India travels together. Co-founder Amit Damani shares the strategies driving its rise in the luxury villa market.

Inside StayVista’s Game Plan for India’s Luxury Villa Market

Laura Houldsworth, Managing Director-Asia Pacific, Booking.com, discusses why the Indian market matters more than ever.

India Is Our Highest Priority: Laura Houldsworth

Q&A with Gajendra Singh Shekhawat

In a candid conversation, India’s Union Minister of Tourism &amp; Culture, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, reveals the inner workings of his ambitious plan to revolutionise the nation's tourism sector, from addressing the complexities of FTAs to unveiling plans for the 'world's biggest museum'.

Bharat Ki Khoj

Will Mandarin Oriental finally pay heed and make it to India? James Mabbutt, Vice President, Development Asia Pacific, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, weighs in.

India is Very Much Top of Mind For Us As a Luxury Brand: James Mabbutt

A Bold New Phase for Tamara Leisure Experiences

Immediate Priorities and Strategic Focus

Purpose, Sustainability, and Innovation as Pillars

A Transition of Continuity and Change

Tamara’s Growth Pipeline: New Properties

Exclusive:&nbsp;Samir MC, reflects on his new role and responsibilities as the CEO of Tamara Leisure Experiences, as a part of the significant leadership transition for the company’s growth.

Tamara Leisure Experiences Embarks on Bold New Journey with Samir MC’s Visionary Leadership

A symbolic win, a business benchmark

Rooted in local relevance

Aligned with broader expansion

Beyond the 50-hotel mark

Appealing proposition for investors

Exclusive:&nbsp;Sudeep Jain, Managing Director, IHG Hotels &amp; Resorts South West Asia, on IHG’s 50th Hotel Milestone and the Debut of Crowne Plaza Lucknow.

50 & Beyond: IHG Celebrates a Landmark Milestone

Strong synergies

An impressive portfolio

A gemstone enterprise in 1970

Tests and triumphs

Quality drives success

Meet Harimohan Dangayach, a soft-spoken visionary who crafts exclusive experiences with passion and humility. Preferring to let his work speak for itself, he has quietly built the Dangayach Group into a hospitality leader, eschewing fanfare and spotlight for a relentless focus on delivering exceptional results. Alongside his son Atul, Managing Director of the group, Harimohan shares his insights on navigating global partnerships, maintaining exceptional standards, and capitalising on India's thriving hospitality landscape.

High on Impact: Dangayach Group, The Quiet Game-Changer

Anil Chadha, Chief Executive Officer, ITC Hotels

Suma Venkatesh, Executive Vice President, Real Estate & Development, IHCL

Sunjae Sharma, Managing Director, India and Southwest Asia, Hyatt India Consultancy Pvt. Ltd.

Nikhil Sharma, Managing Director & Area Senior Vice President – Radisson Hotel Group, South Asia

Zubin Saxena, Senior Vice President and Country Head, India, Hilton

Sudeep Jain, Managing Director, South West Asia, IHG Hotels & Resorts

Is Indian hospitality finally into a ‘golden’ period—unexpectedly as we may have arrived into it, buoyed by post-Covid revenge travel phenomenon that has seen the key metrics for the sector soar, globally and especially in India.

The Next Frontiers

Ashish Jakhanwala, the visionary Managing Director and CEO who founded SAMHI Hotels in 2010, has crafted a bold playbook. His strategy? Transform India’s hospitality landscape by focusing on institutional investment and an acquisition-driven growth model, targeting prime metropolitan cities.

The Entrepreneur Who Broke The Mould

DEI at The LaLiT: Built Into the Blueprint

Pride Beyond the Symbolism

From Legal Victory to Lived Inclusion

At The LaLiT, Pride Is a Way of Life

Redefining Hospitality: A Human-Centered Approach

The LaLiT Hotels, under the trailblazing leadership of hotelier Keshav Suri, has emerged as a pioneering force for LGBTQIA+ inclusion in India. In celebration of Pride Month, SOH explores how the group sets itself apart through its deep-rooted commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI).

DEI Isn’t a Project at The LaLiT—It’s in Their DNA

SOH Exclusive: Nikhil Sharma,&nbsp;Managing Director &amp; COO – South Asia, Radisson Hotel Group, on how the company is driving LGBTQ+ inclusion with purpose, people-first leadership, and empathy.

8 Key Ways Radisson is Championing LGBTQ+ Inclusion in South Asia

Sights on Tier II

Organic food and locavore approach

Community engagement

The evolving definition of luxury

Sustainability is woven into GRT's DNA

Navigating the challenges of hospitality

Cultivating a culture of wellness

Bridging gaps for women and LGBTQ+ communities

Forging successful alliances

"Let me make one hotel"

Embracing the digital future

GRT Hotels began its journey far from hospitality, but its leap into the hotel industry was no accident. Vikram Cotah, CEO of GRT Hotels &amp; Resorts, shares how the 22 hotel-strong group is staying ahead in the hospitality game by championing sustainability, practicing inclusivity, and redefining luxury for the next generation.

Where Tradition Meets Tomorrow

Ritesh Agarwal, Founder and Group CEO, OYO, highlights the company’s remarkable turnaround, transforming from a loss-making venture during the COVID pandemic to one of the&nbsp; world’s largest hospitality chains.

From ₹700 Crore Loss To ₹700 crore Profit: The OYO Story

The technology behind e200X

Opening new possibilities for tourism

e200X  is the future of aviation

India’s most ambitious urban mobility startup, The ePlane Co., is building the future of flight: the e200X, an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. Aviation maverick and co-founder of Akasa Air, Aditya Ghosh, gives us the details.

Flying Past Gridlock

Record occupancies.  Record ARRs. Record ARPUs.

On a growth trajectory

Voices from the industry

Factors impacting Indian hospitality

Building on a strong 2024 performance, the tourism and hospitality sectors are poised for rapid growth in 2025.

Why 2025 Looks Exciting

What is the tourism potential of Amritsar looking like in the next few years, especially beyond religious tourism?

Amritsar has recently seen rapid growth in the branded hospitality segment. What factors would you ascribe to this move?

What are the main opportunities for growth for the city’s hotels? What steps would you suggest to increase travel to the city? And what are the top challenges?

How would you rate the state’s policy for hospitality and tourism—and what would you like to see changed?

Could you give us an idea of the trends for occupancy and ARRs in recent years—pre-COVID to post-COVID? By how much are ARRs up this year compared to recent years?

What are the top sources of tourists for your hotel, by revenue? What is the split between leisure/ FIT/ social events, business and MICE guests/events for your hotel? And between local and non-local guests?

Amritsar is characterised by a high volume of religious tourism. Approximately what percentage of guests represents the religious or spiritual tourists? How are other segments growing?   

“Welcome back after 28 years”.

Amritsar, one of India’s leading religious and heritage tourism destinations and a key transit hub to the Himalayas, is strategically leveraging its strengths to boost its tourism market.

Amritsar’s Golden Hue is Shining Ever Brighter

Features & Trends

Data & Insights

Columns

Latest News

Appointments

Hotel Signings

Hotel Openings

GM's Think Tank

Owner's Circle

From The CEO Lens

Features

Celeb Travel Diaries

Hotel

Restaurant

Architect Spotlight

Insights & Trends

Trends

Restaurants

Wines & Spirits

Meet The Chef

Travel Trends

Experiences

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Boutique Blueprint

Hotels

SOH What's On

Features & Trends

Data & Insights

Columns

Latest News

Appointments

Hotel Signings

Hotel Openings

A Festival Where Ideas Take Flight

The Man Who Reimagined Crystal for the World

12 Leadership Lessons from India’s Most Inventive Restaurateurs

India’s New Restaurant Playbook

Running Hospitality Sustainably

Come And Find Your Own India: Dr Shashi Tharoor on Discovering the Many Indias

Defying Global Headwinds

The Middle Path to Profitability

Pulling for Infrastructure Status

Leading with Empathy and Vision

Micro-Hospitality Is the Future & We Intend To Be At The Centre Of It

Sanjiv Hulugalle: The Man At The Helm Of Sri Lanka’s $1.2 Billion Dreamscape

The Entrepreneur Who Broke The Mould

Leadership

A Festival Where Ideas Take Flight

The Man Who Reimagined Crystal for the World

12 Leadership Lessons from India’s Most Inventive Restaurateurs

India’s New Restaurant Playbook

Visakhapatnam East Coast’s New Crown Jewel

Running Hospitality Sustainably

Come And Find Your Own India: Dr Shashi Tharoor on Discovering the Many Indias

Defying Global Headwinds

The Journey from Startup to Travel Super App: MakeMyTrip

The Middle Path to Profitability

Pulling for Infrastructure Status

Karnataka: The next tourism hotspot?

Leading with Empathy and Vision

Micro-Hospitality Is the Future & We Intend To Be At The Centre Of It

GST Cut to Fuel India’s Hospitality Growth

Sanjiv Hulugalle: The Man At The Helm Of Sri Lanka’s $1.2 Billion Dreamscape

Inside StayVista’s Game Plan for India’s Luxury Villa Market

India Is Our Highest Priority: Laura Houldsworth

Bharat Ki Khoj

India is Very Much Top of Mind For Us As a Luxury Brand: James Mabbutt

Tamara Leisure Experiences Embarks on Bold New Journey with Samir MC’s Visionary Leadership

50 & Beyond: IHG Celebrates a Landmark Milestone

High on Impact: Dangayach Group, The Quiet Game-Changer

The Next Frontiers

The Entrepreneur Who Broke The Mould

DEI Isn’t a Project at The LaLiT—It’s in Their DNA

8 Key Ways Radisson is Championing LGBTQ+ Inclusion in South Asia

Where Tradition Meets Tomorrow

From ₹700 Crore Loss To ₹700 crore Profit: The OYO Story

Flying Past Gridlock

Why 2025 Looks Exciting

Amritsar’s Golden Hue is Shining Ever Brighter