India is being hailed as the “Year of India,” but such declarations are often thrown around by the media at the start of each year, many of which are just filler.
However, India is a country that cannot be overlooked. With a population of 1.46 billion, as reported by Worldometer, India’s significance is undeniable. Its middle class is expanding rapidly, with East Asia Forum estimating that it will soon reach 500 million people—roughly one-third of the country’s total population.
Chitra Balasubramaniam, a long-time freelance reporter based in India for Hotel News Now, has provided invaluable insights into the country’s hospitality industry for over a decade. Her work continues to educate both her colleagues and readers about India’s unique market dynamics.
India is becoming increasingly important as a domestic hotel market, a destination for global hotel brands, and now a key outbound travel market. In recent months, the country has seen the rise of new Indian hotel brands, the creation of stock exchange indices designed to attract investment, and a wave of hotel companies going public, as the hospitality industry matures.
