Hilton to Open 75 'Hampton by Hilton' Hotels in India

New Delhi, Feb 20 (PTI) Global hospitality major Hilton on Thursday said it has signed a strategic licensing agreement with NILE Hospitality to open 75 'Hampton by Hilton' upper-midscale segment hotels in India, as part of its ongoing expansion in the country.

Under the agreement with NILE Hospitality, the first Hampton by Hilton hotels will debut across Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab and Bihar, the company said in a statement, without sharing a timeline for the opening of the proposed properties.

Hampton by Hilton is in the upper-midscale segment, which expands the company's existing midscale category in the country following the growth of upscale brand Hilton Garden Inn and the upcoming premium economy brand, Spark by Hilton, it said.

"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," Hilton President, Asia Pacific, Alan Watts said.

This agreement marks yet another important milestone as Hilton accelerates its growth in India and unlocks a new chapter of expansion in Asia Pacific, he added.

Hilton Chief Financial Officer & President, Global Development, Kevin Jacobs said, "It is the right time for this brand to grow at scale in India, where we see significant opportunities to serve a growing population that has begun to travel domestically before venturing overseas."

NILE Hospitality, Founder and CEO Vikram Singh Chauhan said, "This partnership represents an extraordinary opportunity for NILE to tap into the immense potential of the country's growing middle-income segment."

He further said, "By aligning with the country's unprecedented development and domestic travel momentum, we hope to offer our guests the comfort of a consistent network and brand promise in emerging markets and key destinations."

Hilton has over 3,000 hotels under the 'Hampton by Hilton' in 43 countries across the world.

Last year, the company signed an agreement to bring 150 'Spark by Hilton' hotels to India with Olive by Embassy.