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By Nithyakala Neelakandan
Published on July 17, 2024
The Olympics is one of the global events that can significantly boost both travel and advertising sectors. This year, spending on advertisements for events such as the Super Bowl, Olympics, and European Championship is projected to hit $61 billion. These events not only increase ad revenues but also drive substantial travel demand. For instance, flight bookings to Singapore surged by 63% before the F1 Grand Prix, and trips to Qatar were booked well in advance of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Such events also maintain interest in host destinations long after they conclude. Following the Qatar World Cup, international lodging searches in the country rose by 79-255%.
Similarly, scheduled from July 26 to August 11, 2024, the Olympics is expected to attract 10,500 athletes from 206 countries, marking the largest event ever hosted in France.
Paris Sees a Spike in Flight Bookings
Paris is already a top tourist destination, with 6.3 million visitors to the Eiffel Tower in 2023 alone. The upcoming Olympics are set to enhance this popularity. Since tickets for the 33rd Olympic Games went on sale on November 30, 2023, flight bookings to Paris have increased by 125% compared to the same period last year. Most travelers plan to depart the city as soon as the Olympics end, suggesting many come from countries like the United States, where extended leave is uncommon. The average trip length has shortened to 11 days from 13.2 days in 2023, indicating that the games are influencing travel plans.
Paris remains a favorite summer destination, especially for American travelers. During the Olympic period, 23.8% of flight bookings to Paris are from the United States, followed by Canada, the United Kingdom, Japan, and Spain. The U.S. also led the medal counts in the 2016 and 2020 Olympics, likely contributing to the high demand.
Leveraging Increased Travel Demand
Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) can benefit from the heightened travel interest by using continuous, multichannel marketing strategies. Noreen Henry, Chief Revenue Officer at Sojern, said “By using the right channels throughout the year—not just seasonally—DMOs can reach travelers in the moment and inspire them to think beyond sporting events. Not only do always-on, multichannel campaigns give DMOs better insights, but these types of campaigns enable them to maximize their budgets, do more with less, and get in front of travelers at every stage of the planning cycle.”
Travel Data from Amadeus Shows Significant Increases
Amadeus, a leading provider of travel technology, also reports a surge in travel interest. As of June 6, 2024, international air travel to France is up 56% for the Olympic period from July 24 to August 13. Domestic air travel within France has increased by 31%. Paris, in particular, is expecting 72% more travelers than the same period last year. The Paralympics, from August 28 to September 8, will boost travel to Paris by 16%, especially from the United States, Spain, and Canada.
Lille, hosting basketball and handball events, anticipates a 203% increase in visitors compared to last summer, with domestic travel growing by 300% and international travel by 181%. Bordeaux, hosting football, and Marseille, hosting sailing and football, also see significant increases in bookings, both up by 38%.
With the Olympics approaching, the hospitality sector in France is gearing up for a busy season, driven by substantial increases in both international and domestic travel bookings.
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By Hariharan U
Published on October 24, 2026
Ganpati Group has announced a planned investment of approximately ₹250 crore in a proposed 200-key hotel in Lucknow, in partnership with Sheraton Hotels and Resorts, marking a strategic move into branded hospitality for the diversified business group.
Located in Vibhuti Khand, the proposed development will combine Ganpati Group's real estate development capabilities with Sheraton's established international hospitality brand and management expertise. The project is part of the Group's broader strategy to expand its hospitality portfolio across key urban markets.
Ganpati Group is targeting the addition of approximately 800–1,000 hotel keys over the next three to five years. Hospitality is also a component of its upcoming development portfolio, valued at approximately ₹2,000 crore across residential, commercial and hospitality projects. Lucknow and Visakhapatnam are among its immediate focus markets.
Commenting on the announcement, Nikhil Agarwal, Managing Director, Ganpati Group, said, “Hospitality is an important pillar of our long-term growth strategy, and our planned ₹250 crore investment in Lucknow, in partnership with Sheraton Hotels and Resorts, reflects our conviction in the potential of India's evolving hospitality market. We believe markets that combine a growing business ecosystem, infrastructure development and tourism potential offer compelling opportunities for quality hospitality assets. Lucknow brings these fundamentals together, making it an important market for our expansion. By combining our real estate development capabilities with Sheraton Hotels and Resorts' established global hospitality expertise, we aim to contribute to the city's evolving hospitality infrastructure while building a stronger, more diversified portfolio for Ganpati Group.”
The partnership reflects the Group's approach of combining strategically positioned real estate investments with established international hospitality brands. Branded hotels are expected to play a growing role in diversifying its business and supporting long-term expansion across business and leisure destinations.
Lucknow's position as Uttar Pradesh's capital, along with its expanding business ecosystem, infrastructure development and tourism potential, underpins the investment. The proposed hotel is intended to contribute to the city's hospitality infrastructure as demand evolves across business, administrative and leisure travel segments.
The announcement also aligns with Ganpati Group's wider development plans across residential, commercial and hospitality real estate, with the Group looking to build a broader presence in markets offering opportunities for long-term growth.
Founded in 1972 as a family business, Ganpati Group is a diversified conglomerate headquartered in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, with interests in real estate, hospitality and healthcare. Its flagship real estate arm, Ganpati Infrastructure Development Company Limited, has delivered more than 20 residential and commercial projects across Agra, Vrindavan and other markets.
Its portfolio includes developments such as Ganpati Wonder City, Ganpati Classique and Ganpati World, alongside ongoing projects including Ganpati Smart City, Ganpati Upvana and Ganpati Capital Court in Lucknow. The Group is led by Chairman Anil Agrawal and Managing Director Nikhil Agarwal
By Manu Vardhan Kannan
GAP Group has commenced work on Hyatt Place Dholera, a proposed five-star hotel being developed in partnership with Hyatt in Gujarat's Dholera Special Investment Region (SIR). The upcoming property will feature 200 rooms, including 20 suites, bringing an internationally recognised hospitality brand to the developing industrial region.
The groundbreaking ceremony was performed by former Gujarat Cabinet Minister Bhupendra Singh Chudasama and Kalubhai Dabhi, MLA from Dhandhuka. Sonale Zagade, General Manager at Hyatt Group, unveiled the hotel's finalised design, offering the first look at the upcoming development. The occasion also included a tree plantation by the dignitaries.
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel also visited GAP Group's Akhilam Township, where he explored the Hyatt Place Dholera site and other developments, including Avant, the coworking space and the food court. He was accompanied by Gujarat Chief Secretary M. K. Das, Chief Minister's Advisors Hasmukh Adhia and S. S. Rathore, Dholera Industrial City Development Limited (DICDL) Managing Director Kuldeep Arya, and other senior state government officials.
The hotel will spread across approximately 2.6 lakh sq. ft. of built-up area, including two basement levels, and will rise to approximately 65 metres. Its facilities will include a restaurant, banquet hall, pre-function area, business meeting facilities, swimming pool, gym, café and lounge.
The banquet and pre-function spaces, along with an outdoor lawn, will accommodate approximately 500 people. These facilities are expected to position the hotel for business meetings, conferences and social events, complementing its accommodation and leisure offerings.
Speaking on the occasion, Gopal Goswami, Chairman of GAP Group, said, “Dholera is entering an important phase of development, with several ongoing and upcoming industrial projects creating new opportunities. As business activity grows, there will be a greater need for hospitality facilities to serve investors, business travellers and other visitors. Hyatt Place Dholera is an important step in meeting this need, and we believe it will support the region’s growth in the years ahead.”
Ambrish Parajiya, Managing Director of GAP Group, said, “GAP Group has been part of Dholera’s development journey since commencing operations in 2014. As the first private developer to begin development in the Dholera Activation Zone, we have witnessed the region’s progress over the past decade. We believe that Dholera’s next phase of growth will require infrastructure that supports not only industry and commerce but also the people who will live, work and do business here. Hyatt Place Dholera is an important step in that direction. We remain confident in the region’s potential and plan to invest ₹2,500 crore in Dholera by 2030 across residential, commercial and industrial developments.”
Located along the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC), Dholera SIR is being developed as a smart industrial city with planned infrastructure and multimodal connectivity. The Ahmedabad-Dholera Expressway and the proposed international airport are expected to improve access to the region as industrial and commercial activity expands.
As Dholera continues to develop, the demand for hospitality facilities is expected to grow alongside its industrial and commercial infrastructure. Hyatt Place Dholera aims to address this demand by bringing together accommodation, meeting spaces, dining and leisure facilities under one roof.
For GAP Group, the project forms part of its wider development plans for Dholera, complementing its residential, commercial and industrial investments. The hotel is expected to support the region's growing business travel needs while offering facilities for visitors attending meetings, conferences and social events.
Published on October 23, 2026
The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) has reported its 18th consecutive record quarter, with consolidated revenue rising 21% year-on-year to ₹2,566 crore in Q2 FY2027. The company has also upgraded its full-year revenue growth guidance to 15–17%, supported by strong hotel performance, higher management fees and portfolio expansion.
For the quarter ended 30 September 2026, IHCL recorded EBITDA of ₹788 crore, with a margin of 30.7%, while profit after tax (PAT) increased 23% to ₹349 crore. Operating revenue grew 22%, while operating EBITDA rose 24%, accompanied by a 50-basis-point expansion in operating EBITDA margin.
The performance reflects growth across IHCL's operating portfolio, supported by higher revenue per available room (RevPAR), new hotel openings and contributions from recent acquisitions.
Domestic same-store hotels recorded 25% growth in RevPAR, while management fee income also increased 25%, supported by the momentum of new hotel openings. IHCL's Select Service business reported 25% revenue growth, while recent acquisitions, including Brij and Atmantan, added to the quarter's performance.
Demand from social celebrations and meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) also remains an important growth driver for the hospitality sector. With seasonally stronger quarters ahead, IHCL expects continued support from domestic travel demand, events and business generated by newly opened properties.
Building on its first-half performance, IHCL has raised its consolidated revenue growth guidance for FY2027 from 12–14% to 15–17%. The company expects its hotel segment revenue to grow by 17–19%, supported by demand trends and non-like-for-like growth from new properties and portfolio additions.
The upgraded guidance signals management's confidence in sustaining growth through the remainder of the financial year. It also reflects the contribution expected from hotels added to the portfolio, alongside continued performance from existing properties.
IHCL signed 47 hotel deals during the first half of FY2027 across its brand portfolio, taking its overall portfolio to 670 hotels. The company said it is now positioned to achieve its Accelerate 2030 target of a 700-hotel portfolio well ahead of schedule.
The expansion reflects IHCL's strategy of growing through a diversified brandscape and a mix of operating models. New signings and openings can strengthen its geographic reach and management fee income, while the performance of existing hotels remains central to revenue and margin delivery.
IHCL's latest results underline the importance of combining same-store hotel growth with expansion across brands and markets. With its full-year guidance upgraded and the portfolio nearing the 700-hotel milestone, the company is entering the second half of FY2027 with a stronger growth outlook.
Consolidated revenue: ₹2,566 crore, up 21%
EBITDA: ₹788 crore, up 21%
EBITDA margin: 30.7%
Profit after tax: ₹349 crore, up 23%
Operating revenue growth: 22%
Operating EBITDA growth: 24%
Domestic same-store RevPAR growth: 25%
First-half signings: 47 hotels
Total portfolio: 670 hotels
Revised FY2027 consolidated revenue growth guidance: 15–17%
FY2027 hotel segment revenue growth guidance: 17–19%
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