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Nakul Anand, former executive director of ITC Hotels, has been named chairman of the advisory board for Tricone Luxury Hotels, a subsidiary of U.S.-based Tricone Engineers. Anand brings four decades of hospitality experience. He will oversee the company's continued growth in India, Tricone said in a statement. "We are thrilled to welcome Nakul Anand to our team," Alok Aggarwal, Tricon Luxury Hotels' CEO, said in an article on ANI. "His unparalleled expertise in the hospitality industry will be instrumental in shaping our company's vision and integrating sophisticated hospitality services and sustainability initiatives into our hotels and real estate projects." Tricone Luxury Hotels recently executed memorandums of understanding with Indian hotel brands and acquired land for a real estate project in Alibaug near Mumbai, which will be marketed soon. The company is set to launch luxury hotels and hospitality-oriented real estate projects in Alibaug.

SMALL LUXURY HOTELS of the World, the London-based independent hotels chain, recently entered the Indian market through a partnership with The MRS Group of Hotels, which owns and operates luxury boutique hotels in the country. SLH will include MRS's hospitality offerings in its global distribution and marketing network. The collaboration integrates MRS Group's brands-Suryagarh Jaisalmer, Narendra Bhawan Bikaner, and Mary Budden Estate Binsar-into SLH's collection, soon to be available on SLH channels, the companies said in a joint statement. "We are incredibly proud to be the first independent hotel chain in India to partner with SLH, a brand synonymous with luxury and exceptional hospitality," said Karan Singh Vaid, The MRS Group of Hotels' president. "This alliance not only highlights our dedication to reimagining hospitality in India but also amplifies our mission to offer travellers thoughtfully designed experiences that are rooted in our rich heritage and distinctive service. We are excited to embark on this journey with SLH, aiming to enhance our global presence and enrich the travel adventures of our guests."

EAST INDIA HOTELS-OWNED Oberoi Hotels & Resorts will debut in the United Kingdom with a luxury property in London's Mayfair. The London-based property group Grosvenor received planning permission in 2022 to restore the 33,000-square-foot listed building as part of its South Molton development and began renovations in November 2023. The luxury boutique hotel is scheduled for completion in 2027, the companies said in a joint statement. EIH recently established a U.K. company with an authorized share capital of $37.5 million, around £30 million. Besides India, the luxury hotel chain has a presence in Morocco, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia and Mauritius. "Our partnership with Grosvenor marks an important milestone in our international growth," said Arjun Oberoi, The Oberoi Group's executive chairman. "London has always been a key market for our guests. We are excited to bring our distinctive hospitality experience to the heart of London. The Oberoi, Mayfair, will not only celebrate our brand at a prime location but also showcase our service excellence."

INDIA IS SET to have the most Trump Towers outside the U.S., with 10 projects planned for completion in the next six years, according to a recent media report. Tribeca Developers, the exclusive licensee of Trump-branded properties in India, plans additional launches, including residential, office and golf course properties, expected to generate approximately $1.75 billion in sales. Tribeca Developers, founded in 2012 by Kalpesh Mehta, is advised exclusively by Donald Trump Jr., executive vice president of The Trump Organization. The number of Trump Towers in India will grow from four all-residential high-rises in Mumbai, Pune, Gurgaon and Kolkata to 10 in six years, with new projects planned for Noida, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Gurgaon and Pune. Mehta expects further growth following Trump's election victory, the Times of India reported.

ARIZONA-BASED BWH Hotels, known for brands like Best Western Hotels & Resorts, plans to expand into South Asia by introducing WorldHotels to markets including India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. BWH Hotels, the company that acquired WorldHotels in 2019, is now established in South Asia through Sorrel Hospitality, the master franchisee based in New Delhi. According to Indian media reports, Sorrel Hospitality will extend its presence into Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. The company expects to have around 51 hotels by the end of 2024, including 3,000 rooms once the pipeline becomes operational. All these hotels are signed in these three markets, with an additional six hotels in the India market, the report in the Economic Times said. Larry Cuculic, president and CEO of BWH Hotels, expressed the company's commitment to strengthening its presence in India and raising standards in accommodation and guest satisfaction.

UTTAR PRADESH RECEIVED hospitality investment proposals worth approximately $12.2 billion, or Rs 1 trillion, in the last two years after introducing its 2022 tourism policy. The Indian state, which hosted the Global Investors Summit in February 2023, sees tourism as key to reaching its $1 trillion economy goal by 2029. The state aims to expand tourism infrastructure and hospitality properties through private sector partnerships, Business Standard reported, citing government officials. "The proposed investments include hotels, resorts, guesthouses, wellness centers, and homestays across all 75 districts," said Mukesh Kumar Meshram, principal secretary of tourism and culture in UP, according to the report.

INDIA'S KAMAH HOTELS & Resorts recently signed a $70 million agreement with Wyndham Hotels & Resorts to develop four new hotels-three in India and one in the UAE-under the Trademark Collection by Wyndham. Kamah Hotels plans to add 25 more properties globally, including in North America, over the next three years. Fine Acres Group will develop the Indian properties, while Global Branded Residences will build the Dubai project. Fine Acres, which operates in India, and international developer GBR previously created Kamah Hotels. Kamah Hotels finalized locations for lifestyle resorts in Coorg, Karnataka; Jawai and Udaipur in Rajasthan; and Al Jaddaf Waterfront, Dubai, UAE, the statement said. The partnership marks the debut of the Trademark Collection by Wyndham in the UAE, the companies said in a statement.

INDIA'S ITC CONGLOMERATE plans to expand its hotel business internationally, focusing on neighboring countries and West Asia. The company recently demerged its hotels division, ITC Hotels Ltd., which will list on bourses in the next couple of weeks. The listing date for ITC Hotels is yet to be announced but is expected in the "next few weeks," PTI reported, quoting ITC Chairman and Managing Director Sanjiv Puri. The company aims to expand its portfolio from 140 to more than 200 hotels across India, PTI reported. Formerly a division of ITC, the hotel business will gain operational autonomy post-demerger. ITC shareholders will hold 60 percent of the new unit, with the parent company retaining the rest.