Hilton has announced a strategic licensing agreement with NILE Hospitality to introduce its Hampton by Hilton brand to India. This partnership aims to open 75 hotels across the country, marking a significant expansion for the group, which currently operates only two properties under the Hampton brand in India: Hilton Gurugram Baani City Centre and Hampton by Hilton Vadodara-Alkapuri.
The latest announcement follows Hilton’s earlier agreement in 2024 to bring 150 Spark by Hilton hotels to India with Olive by Embassy.
“This marks our mid-market moment in India, as significant macroeconomic growth, a rapidly rising middle class and the vast infrastructure development fuel demand for our brands and drive strong trading performance in the country. This agreement marks yet another important milestone as Hilton accelerates its growth in India and unlocks a new chapter of expansion in Asia Pacific,” said Alan Watts, president, Asia Pacific, Hilton.
Hampton by Hilton, an upper-midscale offering, expands the company’s existing midscale category in the country following the growth of upscale brand Hilton Garden Inn and the upcoming premium economy brand, Spark by Hilton.
The first Hampton hotels are expected to open in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab and Bihar, and will feature between 75 to 120 rooms, with pricing expected to range from Rs 4,000 to Rs 6,000 per night. This expansion builds on the brand’s success in other regions, particularly in China, where it has grown rapidly over the past decade.
Kevin Jacobs, chief financial officer & president, global development, Hilton, added: “It is the right time for this brand to grow at scale in India, where we see significant opportunities to serve a growing population that has begun to travel domestically before venturing overseas.”
According to Clarence Tan, senior vice president of development, APAC, Hilton, the group is on track to grow to 10 times its current size in India over the next decade. Pointing to Hilton's recent DoubleTree by Hilton signings in cities like Bhopal and Varanasi, Tan highlighted the country's fast-growing economy, growing travel aspirations and dearth of hotels as the key factors behind the group's multi-brand expansion strategy for India.
As Hilton accelerates its growth in India, it also aims to expand its luxury offerings, with the upcoming debut of the Waldorf Astoria brand in Jaipur by 2027. And while the hotel group currently operates five of its 24 brands in India, this number is expected to grow to eight in the coming years.