Advertisement
In this episode of Prop Personalities, we sit down with Hars...
Luxury real estate is one of the most talked-about segments ...
Welcome to Prop Personalities by Prop News Time - a podcast ...
Airports play a much bigger role than just enabling travel -...
Why does the same hotel brand operate multiple properties in...
ITC Hotels Limited has expanded its Welcomhotel brand footprint with new property signings in Bhubaneswar and Shirdi, taking the portfolio beyond the 50-hotel mark. The agreements, finalised in the past week with Sandy Resort Private Limited, cover a 73-room hotel in Shirdi and an 84-room property in Bhubaneswar. With these additions, the Welcomhotel portfolio now includes 51 properties with over 5,500 keys, comprising 30 operational hotels and 21 under development. The expansion strategy focuses on pilgrimage and leisure destinations, with recent signings across multiple cities and additional projects planned in locations such as Gangtok, Bhopal and Gwalior.
ITC Hotels Limited has expanded its Welcomhotel portfolio beyond the 50-property mark following the signing of two new hotel projects in Bhubaneswar and Shirdi in the past week, as part of its strategy to strengthen presence in pilgrimage and leisure-driven markets. Advertisement
The company has entered into definitive agreements with Sandy Resort Private Limited to operate a 73-room hotel in Shirdi and an 84-room property in Bhubaneswar under the Welcomhotel brand. These additions take the total portfolio to 51 hotels, collectively accounting for more than 5,500 keys.
Of the total portfolio, 30 hotels are currently operational, while 21 properties are in various stages of development. The expansion reflects a pipeline-driven growth strategy, with a focus on scaling presence in culturally significant and high-footfall destinations.
Over the past 12 months, the Welcomhotel brand has recorded signings across 16 locations, including Ayodhya, Sarnath, Vrindavan, Bodh Gaya, Jaipur, Salasar, Rajkot, Mysuru, Nellore and Mohali. These locations are aligned with the company's strategy of targeting destinations with established tourism demand, particularly those driven by pilgrimage and leisure travel.
The company indicated that additional properties are planned in cities such as Gangtok, along with developments in Bhopal and Gwalior, suggesting continued expansion across both established and emerging tourism markets.
The Welcomhotel brand is positioned within the premium segment of ITC Hotels portfolio, catering to travellers seeking full-service hospitality offerings in non-metro and destination-driven markets. The expansion into pilgrimage centres reflects growing demand for organised hospitality infrastructure in locations witnessing increasing visitor inflows.
The signing of new properties through management agreements also highlights the asset-light expansion model being adopted by hospitality operators, where hotel chains manage properties developed by third-party owners. This approach enables faster scaling of portfolios without significant capital investment in real estate assets.
The latest additions in Bhubaneswar and Shirdi further strengthen the brand's geographic spread, providing access to key regional markets with sustained tourism demand. Bhubaneswar serves as a gateway to cultural and heritage sites in Odisha, while Shirdi remains a major pilgrimage destination with consistent visitor traffic.
The milestone of crossing 50 hotels indicates steady growth in the brand's footprint, supported by a combination of operational properties and a pipeline of upcoming developments. The continued focus on destination-led expansion suggests that hospitality operators are aligning growth strategies with evolving travel patterns, particularly in pilgrimage and leisure segments.
Source - PTI
5th Jun, 2025
25th May, 2023
11th May, 2023
27th Apr, 2023
Advertisement
Facebook
Whatsapp
