IHG

Global hotel operator IHG has struck a deal with developer Paix Hospitality to bring a new Holiday Inn Resort property to Sasan Gir, a town in Gujarat known for wildlife tourism.

This will mark the first time the Holiday Inn Resort brand has a presence in that particular destination.

The planned hotel will have 92 rooms and is expected to welcome guests sometime in early 2031.

Sudeep Jain, who leads IHG's operations across South West Asia, said the tie-up gives the company a foothold in a leisure market in Gujarat that stands apart from typical city locations, and pointed to the area's draw for travellers interested in wildlife and regional excursions.

Sasan Gir's standing as a top wildlife tourism spot in India means the new resort could tap into steady visitor demand tied to nature-based travel.

For IHG, the project fits a broader push to grow beyond India's big cities and into smaller, tourism-driven markets, adding to a company that already runs 53 hotels under seven brand names across the country.

IHG also has 110 additional hotels in various stages of development, expected to open over the coming three to five years, underlining how much weight the company is putting behind its India growth plans.

Construction and development work would need to proceed over several years before the resort can open as scheduled in 2031.