Anantara Targets 50 Hotels in India in Five Years, Marking Major Expansion Push by Minor Group

Minor Group’s luxury hotel brand Anantara has outlined plans to develop 50 hotels across India over the next five years, marking one of the most ambitious expansion strategies by an international hospitality operator in the country. The move includes recent signings in Kolkata and Coorg, alongside an existing presence in Jaipur.

Expansion plan targets 50 hotels in five years

The expansion push reflects a strategic shift by Minor Group as it accelerates its entry into India, a market it had previously approached cautiously. The company is now actively negotiating multiple agreements with hotel owners, aiming to rapidly scale its footprint across key destinations.

Founder Bill Heinecke confirmed that the company is targeting 50 hotels in India within a five-year timeframe. The plan follows recent deal signings, including a luxury hotel at a new World Trade Centre development in Kolkata and a resort project in Coorg, signalling a mix of urban and leisure-focused developments.

Anantara already operates a property in Jaipur, which forms the base for its India portfolio as it expands into new markets.

Shift in strategy enables India entry

The company’s renewed focus on India has been enabled by a shift in its operating model. Historically, Minor Group preferred ownership-led investments, maintaining equity stakes in its properties. However, regulatory and structural challenges in India limited expansion under this approach.

In recent years, the group has transitioned to a more flexible “asset-right” model, combining owned assets with management contracts. This shift has allowed it to pursue growth opportunities in markets like India where partnerships with local developers are critical.

The revised strategy aligns with broader industry trends, where global hotel operators increasingly rely on asset-light or hybrid models to expand quickly while reducing capital exposure.

India seen as high-growth hospitality market

The planned expansion comes at a time when India’s hospitality sector is witnessing strong growth driven by domestic travel, infrastructure development and rising disposable incomes. Demand is expanding beyond traditional metro cities into leisure destinations and emerging urban centres.

Minor Group’s entry reflects confidence in India’s long-term potential as a hospitality market. The company is targeting both business and leisure segments, with Anantara positioned as a luxury brand offering high-end city hotels with resort-style experiences.

The expansion strategy also includes exploring opportunities across different hospitality formats, leveraging the group’s broader portfolio and operational expertise across global markets.

Global portfolio supports growth ambitions

Minor Group currently operates a portfolio of approximately 640 hotels across more than 60 countries. Its brands span multiple segments, with Anantara positioned at the luxury end of the spectrum.

The group has built its international presence through a combination of acquisitions and organic growth, including the expansion of its European NH Hotel Group portfolio. Select properties within this network have been upgraded and repositioned under the Anantara brand.

In addition to Anantara, Minor Group operates several other hospitality brands across different price points and formats, which may also be introduced in India over time as part of its broader market strategy.

Late entry but accelerated rollout

Despite its global scale, Minor Group’s entry into India has been relatively delayed compared to other international hotel operators. The company attributes this to earlier investment constraints and a preference for ownership-led growth in markets with more favourable structures.

The current expansion plan represents a catch-up strategy, with the company aiming to establish a strong presence within a compressed timeframe. Multiple discussions with potential partners are already underway, indicating a pipeline that could support the aggressive growth target.

Industry observers note that the scale of the planned rollout positions Anantara among the more ambitious international entrants into India’s hospitality sector, particularly in the luxury segment.

With new signings already in place and additional projects under negotiation, the company’s India expansion is moving into an execution phase, with further announcements expected as agreements are finalised.