Tata Chemicals’ CSR initiative Okhai has launched its latest Ajrakh collection, a contemporary reinterpretation of one of India’s oldest and most celebrated textile traditions rooted in the craft heritage of Kutch.

The collection has been developed in collaboration with artisan designer Mubin Khatri and his team from Dhamadka, bringing together traditional craftsmanship and modern design across 19 handcrafted garments. The line has been developed over eight months, focusing on blending heritage techniques with contemporary silhouettes and print innovations.

Crafted in breathable cotton and cotton twill, the collection uses natural dyes and traditional methods such as pothai, where fabrics are hand-painted using natural colours. It also experiments with reimagined block-print techniques, separating outlines and filler blocks to create more dynamic and versatile patterns.

A notable innovation in the collection is the use of Ajrakh on twill cotton denim, offering a modern interpretation of the craft while retaining its cultural identity.

Speaking about the launch, Manorath Dhillon said Ajrakh is deeply rooted in history and community, and the collection aims to evolve the craft for contemporary wardrobes while preserving its authenticity.

Sustainability remains central to the initiative, with natural fabrics, eco-friendly dyes, and reuse of existing blocks to reduce waste. Through this collection, Okhai continues its focus on preserving Indian artisan traditions while making them relevant for modern consumers.

L'Oréal has announced the launch of its 2026 Big Bang Beauty Tech Innovation Program, inviting startups across South Asia Pacific, Middle East and North Africa (SAPMENA) to co-create the future of AI-powered commerce, creator ecosystems, and sustainable beauty solutions.

The global beauty major is positioning the program as a launchpad for scalable innovation, offering selected startups a fully funded commercial pilot with one of its 40 international brands. Winners will also gain access to potential expansion across 35 SAPMENA markets and receive year-long mentorship from senior leadership and ecosystem partners.

Now in its third year, the initiative has already seen seven startups progress to commercial pilots from countries including India, Australia, Singapore, and the UAE.

The 2026 edition focuses on three major industry shifts: AI-powered commerce, creator and affiliate-led ecosystems, and circular economy solutions. Startups can apply under five innovation themes including Connected Brand Experience, Creators & Affiliates, AI-Powered Commerce, Science for Beauty, and Innovation for Good.

Speaking on the initiative, Vismay Sharma, President of L’Oréal SAPMENA Zone, said the region is emerging as a global hub for tech innovation, describing it as a “Silicon Valley for Beauty Tech” driven by digitally native consumers and rapid digital commerce growth.

Jacques Lebel, Managing Director of L'Oréal India, highlighted India’s fast-evolving beauty market and the role of startups in shaping next-generation beauty technology solutions.

Saloni Shah Javeri, Chief Digital and Marketing Officer of L'Oréal India, noted that AI-driven personalization, creator ecosystems, and sustainability-led innovation are redefining how consumers discover and experience beauty.

The program also showcased 2025 winners including Indian startups such as Without and Sravathi AI, alongside global participants like Heatseeker, Halo AI, and Wubble AI, each demonstrating real-world applications ranging from sustainable materials science to AI-driven influencer discovery and real-time customer intelligence.

The SAPMENA region, which accounts for a large digitally active consumer base, is increasingly seen as a testing ground for beauty tech innovation, with strong startup ecosystem growth across India, Singapore, and the Middle East.

Key dates for the 2026 edition include submissions open until 3 July 2026, regional finals between August and September, and a grand finale scheduled in Singapore in November 2026.

The program continues L’Oréal’s broader push to integrate AI, data-driven commerce, and sustainability into the global beauty industry through startup-led innovation partnerships.

Even as global markets faced geopolitical tensions, travel disruptions and economic uncertainty, India’s hospitality and tourism sector continued to show resilience in FY26. Strong performances from major industry players including IHCL, ITC Hotels, Chalet Hotels, Tourism Finance Corporation of India Ltd. (TFCI), and Ventive Hospitality indicate that the industry remains on a steady growth path.

The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) has announced its consolidated financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ending March 31st, 2026, achieving its sixteenth consecutive quarter of record performance. For the full financial year FY2025-26, IHCL reported revenue of INR 9,971 crores, reflecting a 16% year-on-year growth. The company recorded EBITDA of INR 3,477 crores and delivered its highest-ever Profit After Tax (PAT) of INR 2,084 crores.

For Q4 FY2026, IHCL posted consolidated revenue of INR 2,845 crores, marking a 14% increase over the previous year. EBITDA stood at INR 1,052 crores with an EBITDA margin of 37%, despite challenges arising from the West Asia conflict.

Commenting on the performance, Puneet Chhatwal, Managing Director & CEO, IHCL, said, “Q4 FY2026 marks sixteenth consecutive quarter of record performance with a Consolidated revenue of INR 2,845 crores, a 14% growth over the previous year, EBITDA of INR 1,052 crores and an EBITDA margin of 37%, notwithstanding the impact of West Asia conflict. For FY2026, the company delivered on its guidance of double-digit revenue growth despite macro-headwinds with revenue of INR 9,971 crores, a growth of 16% leading to an all-time high EBITDA of INR 3,477 crores, EBITDA margin of 34.9% resulting in the best ever PAT of INR 2,084 crores.”

He further added, “IHCL, led by its multi-brand presence across segments coupled with a balanced growth strategy focused on capital light with select investments has delivered consistent performance over sixteen quarters.”

During FY2026, IHCL introduced three new brands, increasing its portfolio of major brands to fourteen. The company also achieved a milestone of 250 hotel signings, taking its overall portfolio to 630 hotels with a pipeline of 255 hotels.

The company further expanded through both inorganic and organic growth, opening or onboarding over 130 hotels across segments. Its expansion strategy strengthened its position in luxury, experiential leisure, and mid-scale hospitality markets.

IHCL also maintained a strong financial position with a gross cash balance of INR 4,345 crores as of March 31st, 2026. The company has proposed a dividend of 25% of Consolidated PAT before exceptional items, including a special dividend to mark IHCL’s 125th Annual General Meeting.

ITC Hotels reported a strong financial performance for FY26, with consolidated revenue from operations reaching Rs 4,139 crore, up 16 percent year-on-year. EBITDA stood at Rs 1,424 crore, recording a 21 percent rise on a comparable basis, while Profit After Tax (PAT) increased by 39 percent to Rs 888 crore. The company also announced a dividend recommendation of Rs 1 per share for the financial year ended March 31, 2026.

The company witnessed growth across room revenues, food and beverage operations and management fees. Room revenue increased by 10 percent, supported by growth across retail, MICE, contracted business and wedding segments. Average Daily Rates (ADR) rose by 6 percent while occupancy improved, leading to an overall RevPAR growth of 10 percent. ITC Hotels also maintained a RevPAR premium of 37 percent over industry benchmarks.

Expansion remained a key focus area for ITC Hotels during FY26. The company signed a record 33 hotels with over 3,300 keys and now has a managed hotel pipeline of 67 hotels with around 6,700 keys. New projects announced at Visakhapatnam and New Delhi reflect the company’s larger target of reaching 250 operational hotels with more than 22,000 keys by 2031.

Chalet Hotels Limited also delivered a strong FY26 performance. Consolidated revenue excluding residential operations stood at Rs 2,070 crore, reflecting an 18 percent increase year-on-year. EBITDA reached Rs 960 crore, up 21 percent, while Profit After Tax touched Rs 650 crore.

The company crossed the 5,000-key portfolio milestone, including projects under development. Expansion plans continued with a 330-key luxury hotel in Hyderabad and a 144-key premium resort in Udaipur added to the pipeline.

Speaking on the company’s performance, Shwetank Singh, MD & CEO, Chalet Hotels Limited, said: "Despite a year shaped by geopolitical volatility, aviation sector disruptions and extreme weather events, Chalet Hotels delivered a resilient operational and financial performance in FY26, underscoring the strength of its diversified business model and premium portfolio."

Tourism Finance Corporation of India Ltd. also reported healthy growth with Profit After Tax rising 19 percent to Rs 123.46 crore during FY26. Assets Under Management grew by 29 percent and Net Interest Income increased by 36 percent. The company significantly improved asset quality with Gross NPA reducing to 0.37 percent, while Net NPA remained NIL.

Ventive Hospitality recorded one of the strongest jumps among the companies, reporting consolidated revenue of Rs 2,666 crore, up 24 percent year-on-year. EBITDA grew by 28 percent to Rs 1,299 crore, while full-year PAT surged to Rs 502 crore, marking a substantial rise compared to the previous year.

The company also expanded its portfolio through acquisitions and strategic investments, including Sol De Goa and Soho House-related expansion rights in India. Ventive’s hospitality segment revenue reached Rs 1,980 crore, with strong growth across both Indian and international operations.

Ranjit Batra, Chief Executive Officer, Ventive Hospitality said: “FY26 marks a defining chapter for Ventive, not just in numbers, but in the direction we are building towards. A 939% surge in full-year PAT and 28% consolidated EBITDA growth, reflect the strength of our model and the discipline behind every decision we make.”

Despite geopolitical tensions, global market volatility and travel disruptions across international markets, India’s hospitality sector continued to maintain a strong growth story in FY26. Financial performances announced by leading hospitality companies suggest that travel demand, expansion plans and premium experiences continue to drive the sector forward.

Among the latest companies to report strong numbers was Sterling Holiday Resorts Limited, which recorded its best-ever Q4 performance and completed its 25th consecutive profitable quarter. During Q4 FY26, Sterling reported revenue of ₹1,409 million, up 14 percent year-on-year, while Profit Before Tax stood at ₹206 million. For the full year, revenue reached ₹5,487 million and EBITDA stood at ₹1,701 million.

Sterling’s resort business remained its primary growth engine, with room revenue increasing by 21 percent during FY26 and occupancy improving to 64 percent during Q4. The company also expanded aggressively, crossing 78 resorts, hotels and retreats across 65 destinations, with plans to reach 95 resorts and 4,500 rooms by 2027.

Commenting on the performance, Vikram Lalvani said: “Q4 FY26 was a record-breaking quarter across all key operating and financial metrics. Sterling delivered its best-ever Q4 Revenue, EBITDA and Profit Before Tax while completing its 25th consecutive profitable quarter.”

Mahindra Holidays & Resorts India Ltd also reported strong operational growth supported by accelerated inventory expansion. During FY26, the company added nearly 900 keys, while resort revenue grew by 12 percent to ₹443 crore. Occupancy remained healthy at 81 percent, despite expansion across the portfolio.

The company also witnessed growth in membership upgrades and Average Unit Realisation (AUR), with cumulative members crossing 3 lakh customers. Seven new managed resorts were added during the year as part of its network expansion plans.

Managing Director and CEO Manoj Bhat said: “In our India business, we continued to execute on all aspects of our growth strategy. Network expansion with enhanced quality accelerated with 7 new managed resort additions during the year.”

Brigade Enterprises also delivered a strong FY26 performance with annual pre-sales reaching ₹7,424 crore and Q4 sales touching ₹2,521 crore. The company’s hospitality portfolio recorded occupancy levels of 76 percent, while Average Room Rates increased by 11 percent during FY26. Revenue from the hospitality segment grew to ₹604 crore, reflecting continued travel demand and operational strength.

Eco Hotels and Resorts also continued to scale its operations through portfolio growth and an asset-light expansion strategy. The company reported FY2026 revenue of ₹498.91 lakh, significantly higher than the previous year. The company strengthened its portfolio through property additions and equity support aimed at long-term expansion.

Vinod K. Tripathi, Chairman, Eco Hotels and Resorts Limited, said: “FY2026 marks a pivotal year for Eco Hotels and Resorts as we accelerated our expansion strategy and significantly scaled up our operations.”

Planet Hotels & Resorts also reported positive growth momentum during 2025, recording around 11 percent revenue growth and a 9 percent increase in occupancy across its key markets in Goa and Thane. The group attributed its growth to stronger domestic tourism demand, improving corporate travel and rising interest in experience-led stays.

The company also announced expansion plans across Goa, Haridwar and Lucknow, while continuing to strengthen its presence in destinations including Powai and Manali.

Atul Neharkar, AVP Sales, Planet Hotels & Resorts, said: “We are encouraged by the strong growth momentum witnessed over the past year, particularly across our key markets of Thane and Goa.”

According to a new JLL report, India’s hospitality sector witnessed a major rise in investment activity in 2025, reflecting growing confidence in the country's tourism and hotel market. Hotel investments touched nearly USD 567 million through 28 transactions during the year, marking a strong 67% increase compared to USD 340 million recorded in 2024.

The report highlighted that investment activity is no longer limited to traditional business hubs. Tier II and III cities continued to strengthen their position in India’s hotel growth story, accounting for around 40% of the total transaction volume. These emerging destinations included luxury resorts in Rishikesh, upper-upscale properties in Goa, and upscale to midscale developments across cities such as Ludhiana, Nashik, Vadodara, Udaipur, and Lonavala.

The investment mix also showed a broad spread of participants. Institutional investors and Private Equity firms accounted for 35% of the overall transaction volume, leading the market. High Net-worth Individuals (HNIs), family offices and private hotel owners followed with 27%, while listed hotel companies contributed 25%. Real estate developers and owner-operators made up the remaining share.

Commenting on the market trend, Gaurav Sharma, Managing Director, Hotels, India & Senior Director, Hotels Capital Markets, Asia, JLL said:

"India’s hotel investment market is reflecting a clear step-up in both investor confidence and market depth, with rising transaction activity supported by a broader mix of institutional and domestic capital. What is particularly encouraging is the continued expansion beyond gateway cities, with Tier II and III markets steadily evolving into more mature, investment-grade destinations backed by improving operating performance and scalability. This shift is meaningfully expanding the investable universe and enabling more strategic capital deployment across geographies. The momentum has carried strongly into 2026, with a robust start to the year underscoring sustained capital appetite. Beyond volumes, we are seeing increasing sophistication in how capital is being deployed, through platform-led strategies and institutional partnerships, signaling a more mature and organized investment landscape. At the same time, strong asset performance has introduced a degree of supply-side discipline, with high-quality hotels being tightly held, making available opportunities more selective and highly sought after."

The report also highlighted strong growth in branded hotel development. In 2025, hotel signings reached 51,647 keys across 424 properties, reflecting a 23% rise over the previous year. Notably, 71% of these signings were concentrated in Tier II and III cities, showing the increasing spread of organised hospitality into emerging destinations.

Management contracts remained the preferred operating model, increasing from 81% in 2024 to 84% in 2025. Franchise agreements remained stable at 14%, while lease and revenue-sharing arrangements saw a decline.

Greenfield development activity also gained momentum, reaching around 33,170 keys in 2025 and surpassing the previous year by 17%. Large-format hotels with over 250 keys also witnessed growth, increasing from 21 signings in 2024 to 29 in 2025.

The momentum has continued into 2026 as well. During the first quarter of the year, hotel transaction volumes reached nearly USD 185 million, a 58% increase compared to USD 117 million in Q1 2025. Major activity included Warburg Pincus acquiring a 41% stake in Fleur Hotels, a subsidiary of Lemon Tree Hotels, with a USD 107 million investment commitment for future portfolio expansion.

Across the industry, recurring themes have emerged premiumisation, destination-led experiences, expansion into Tier II and Tier III markets and stronger demand for leisure-led travel. While global conditions continue to create temporary uncertainties, industry performance indicates that India’s hospitality sector remains firmly on a long-term growth trajectory.

While geopolitical developments and global turbulence impacted travel sentiment in some markets, these performances indicate that India’s hospitality sector continues to maintain growth momentum. Expansion into new destinations, stronger demand for premium experiences and continued investment across hospitality assets suggest a positive outlook for the industry ahead.