Adani Airports, Taj group sign deal for eight hotels in four cities

Adani Airport Holdings Ltd (AAHL) and The Indian Hotels Company Ltd (IHCL) today signed one of the largest hotel operation agreements. AAHL has been described as the country's largest private airport operator, while IHCL is the country's largest hospitality company. Under the agreement, eight hotels with more than 2,000 rooms will be developed in Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Lucknow and Guwahati.

The hotels will operate under the Taj, Vivanta, Gateway and Ginger brands. They will offer business travellers, tourists and airport passengers a range of accommodation and hospitality options. Adani Airports' growing network and IHCL's multi-brand portfolio will come together to create high-quality facilities around major airports.

The eight hotels comprise three Taj, two Vivanta, one Gateway and two Ginger properties. Mumbai will have a Taj hotel at Terminal 2 of Mumbai airport. Lucknow will get a Vivanta and a Ginger hotel. In Ahmedabad, a Taj and a Gateway hotel are in later stages of development. Guwahati will have a Taj, a Gateway and a Ginger hotel. Together, the eight hotels, with more than 2,000 rooms, will offer accommodation, dining, meetings and events, health and wellness, and entertainment in these airport cities.

The groundwork for the plan is being laid through Adani Airport City Ltd. Adani Airports set up the company to develop more than 655 acres at eight airports in seven states. This includes about 440 acres in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. In the first phase, Adani Airport City Ltd will invest more than Rs 20,000 crore to develop about 2.2 crore square feet in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Jaipur and Guwahati.

AAHL director Jeet Adani said, "Major airports around the world are emerging as integrated spaces that drive business, tourism and urban development. Our partnership with IHCL is an important step in this journey. It brings together our hospitality-led, multi-use development zones and the country's leading hospitality company. Our aim is to build world-class hotels in key airport cities through iconic brands such as Taj and its other brands. Together, we want to further strengthen the hospitality infrastructure in our airport city projects and contribute to the long-term economic development of the areas we serve."

He added, "At Adani Airports, our ambition is not limited to running airports. We want to develop vibrant airport cities in which hospitality, business, retail and entertainment come together and improve the overall experience of passengers and visitors."

IHCL Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Puneet Chhatwal said, "India is strengthening its position among the world's fastest-growing aviation markets. In this context, airport-centred development projects are emerging as important business and hospitality hubs. Our partnership with Adani Airport Holdings Ltd brings together two leading Indian companies. We share a similar vision for advancing travel and tourism in the country."

Chhatwal also said, "Further strengthening IHCL's leading multi-brand presence at the country's major airports, this collaboration will include three Taj, two Vivanta, one Gateway and two Ginger hotels. These hotels will meet the varied needs of different categories of business and leisure travellers."

The partnership furthers AAHL's strategy of developing integrated, hospitality-led, mixed-use districts near airports and seamlessly connected to the cities concerned. With this agreement, AAHL has partnered with leading hotel brands to develop 15 hotels at its major airports in the country. Airport-linked districts are becoming increasingly important because of passenger traffic, tourism and business travel. The partnership is expected to expand the hospitality infrastructure supporting these key gateways. These airport cities are also expected to contribute significantly to the economic and cultural identity of their cities and further enrich the experience of airport users.