Adani Airport Holdings and IHG Hotels Launch Five-Hotel Partnership; Kimpton Brand Makes Indian Debut

Chennai — A significant hospitality expansion has taken shape with the signing of a managed hotel portfolio agreement between Adani Airport Holdings Limited (AAHL), India's leading private airport operator, and IHG Hotels & Resorts, a major international hospitality player. The collaboration will establish five hotels across premium airport-linked and rapidly growing urban centres throughout India.

The initiative will introduce close to 1,500 rooms across multiple IHG brands and locations, supporting the company's expansion strategy in India. The development responds to surging travel volumes and the accelerating growth of India's aviation, tourism and airport-anchored urban development sectors.

The planned hotel portfolio features a Kimpton property in Jaipur alongside Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express establishments. These will be integrated into upcoming mixed-use hospitality-led developments within Adani Airport cities in Navi Mumbai, Mangaluru, and Thiruvananthapuram. Discussions between the two companies are progressing toward deepening their partnership further.

The deal represents a watershed moment for Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, which is entering the Indian market for the first time. The brand, recognised internationally for its design-forward properties, culinary-focused amenities and upscale boutique positioning, reflects growing appetite among Indian travellers for sophisticated lifestyle hospitality options. The timing aligns with robust expansion across India's aviation and tourism industries, where airport-centred projects have emerged as significant hospitality and commercial destinations supported by climbing passenger volumes and increased domestic and business travel.

Pranav Adani, Director at Adani Enterprises Limited (AEL), commented on the partnership's significance: "As the Adani Group strengthens its footprint in hospitality and airport-anchored urban infrastructure, our objective is establishing premium destinations that integrate travel, accommodation and city experiences around India's expanding aviation sector. We are developing this portfolio alongside globally recognised hotel operators that deliver international-standard services, operational proficiency and scope. The five-hotel initiative with IHG Hotels & Resorts across major gateway cities represents a critical milestone in building robust hospitality infrastructure that supports India's sustained travel growth and economic development."

AAHL operates airports serving millions of passengers annually across its expanding network. The company is reimagining airport facilities as comprehensive urban ecosystems, blending aviation operations with hospitality, retail, commercial and community amenities. Through airport city projects spanning roughly 663 acres in major metropolitan areas, AAHL is developing integrated destinations aimed at enriching traveller experiences while fostering economic and urban advancement.

Sudeep Jain, Managing Director for South West Asia at IHG Hotels & Resorts, noted: "Our partnership with Adani Airport Holdings demonstrates the considerable potential that continues to emerge within India's hospitality landscape, particularly in gateway cities and airport-anchored developments attracting strong interest from corporate, leisure and connecting passengers. Through a diversified portfolio spanning luxury, premium and budget segments, this agreement enables us to substantially expand our market presence across high-potential regions. The introduction of Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants to India represents a meaningful achievement for our company."

Currently, IHG Hotels & Resorts operates 52 properties representing six brands across India, with a development pipeline comprising 98 additional hotels anticipated to commence operations within the next three to five years.