Accor appoints Ranju Alex as new CEO for South Asia

#News | Accor has appointed Ranju Alex, former Regional VP of Marriott International, as CEO for South Asia. With a career spanning three decades across Oberoi and Marriott, Alex will now lead Accor’s operations in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. Overseeing 70+ hotels and 30 in the pipeline, she takes charge as India becomes the fiercest battleground for global hospitality chains. #RealtyNXT #Accor #RanjuAlex #HospitalityLeadership #SouthAsiaHotels #HotelIndustry #GlobalHospitality #LeadershipMove #AccorHotels #MarriottAlumni

IHG Hotels & Resorts has appointed Jaideep Dang as Head of Development, South West Asia, where he will spearhead the company’s growth strategy and report to Sudeep Jain, Managing Director, South West Asia. With over 22 years of experience in hospitality and real estate, Jaideep joins from JLL India, where he successfully led the Hotels & Hospitality Group for India and South Asia, and has also held senior roles with The Oberoi Group. His appointment comes as India remains a priority growth market for IHG, which recently opened its 50th hotel in the country and has a strong pipeline of 70+ properties, aiming to reach 100 hotels in the next 3–5 years. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gzgkJ7Ru #IHG #NewAppointments #TTJ #TravelTradeJournal #TTJUpdates

- IHG Hotels & Resorts CEO Elie Maalouf highlights Asia, especially the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and China, as central to future growth due to large populations and economic trends. - Japan, India, and China are key markets, with IHG planning significant expansion, though each market presents unique challenges and timelines. - IHG is focusing on targeted quality growth, emphasizing conversions and higher-end segments, rather than just chasing scale. https://hubs.li/Q03JTlgJ0

Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts has appointed Hishan Singhawansa as its new Chief Executive Officer, placing India at the centre of its growth strategy as Sri Lanka’s largest source market with arrivals rising over 30 per cent in early 2025. With over 17 years at the John Keells Group (JKH), Singhawansa steps into leadership at a time when Sri Lanka’s arrivals from India have surged by more than 30 per cent in the first half of 2025, reaffirming India as the country’s largest source market. Hishan Singhawansa will oversee all operational aspects of Cinnamon Hotels and Resorts in bringing the vision of ‘bringing the best of Sri Lanka to the world with style and elegance’ to life across hotel operations, food and beverage, sales and marketing, human resources and sustainability initiatives. As the only Sri Lankan brand in the Global Hotel Alliance, Cinnamon is uniquely positioned with 17 properties across Sri Lanka and the Maldives to capture India’s growing outbound demand and showcase authentic, innovative hospitality on a global stage. Radhey S Tawar | AVIAREPS INDIA | Ellona Pereira | Parul Diwan #CinnamonHotels #NewAppointments #HospitalityLeadership #TTJ #TravelTradeJournal #TTJUpdates

🌍 Global Hospitality Shift | Taj Group & The Pierre Hotel In a significant development for the global hospitality sector, Tata Group–backed Taj Hotels is reportedly planning to sell New York’s iconic The Pierre Hotel, which it had acquired back in 2005. 🔹 Estimated Deal Value: $2 Billion (~₹1,76,000 crore) 🔹 Impact: Taj Group may exit management of The Pierre Hotel 🔹 Post-deal Presence: Only Taj Campton Place, San Francisco would remain in the U.S. portfolio This potential move reflects a larger trend—where Indian hospitality brands are reassessing international assets to sharpen focus, strengthen balance sheets, and pivot strategies toward markets with higher alignment. While The Pierre Hotel has been a crown jewel for Taj globally, this step could signal a strategic recalibration—prioritizing profitability, operational efficiency, and selective global footprints. The hospitality industry continues to evolve, and such shifts highlight how even iconic names adapt to changing times. 💡 Question to reflect: Is this a consolidation strategy to strengthen Taj’s core markets, or a step toward new global expansions in the future? #TajHotels #RatanTata #Hospitality #GlobalBusiness #Strategy

More than a strategic model What is driving the momentum in the mid-scale hotel segment? Arjun Baljee weighs in on the strength of staying truly homegrown. While many drift with the current, it is the daring few who sail against it and steer success their way! In an age where alliances are currency, Royal Orchid Hotels is doubling down on independence. With a firm belief in its homegrown strength, Arjun Baljee believes that being one of the last standing India hotel brands gives them a distinct edge in the mid-segment market. “If you look at this segment specifically, most Indian brands have been acquired or absorbed. Ferns is now with Marriott, Sarovar hotels is owned by Louvre. That leaves very few Indian hotel brands of scale that are still Indian-owned and Indian-run,” he said. To him, it is a distinctive position to hold at time when most global chains are aggressively expanding in India through strategic alliances. Read More:- https://lnkd.in/gnYMCgRc Royal Orchid Hotels #RoyalOrchidHotels #MidScaleHotels #IndianHospitality #HomegrownBrands #HotelIndustryIndia #IndependentHotels #HospitalityLeadership #ArjunBaljee #TravelIndia #hotelbusiness

Radisson Hotel Group, whose India portfolio includes over 200 hotels, is seeking to expand its footprint in eastern part of the country, with a top company official saying the hospitality giant’s focus is on “balancing” location of properties in both key and tier 2 cities. In an interview to PTI here, chairman of the group’s South Asia operations, K B Kachru, also pitched for preserving and “restoring historic buildings” to redevelop them as heritage properties rather than demolishing such structures and replacing them with “big boxes”. “One of the reasons for our growth has been that we are focussed on key locations pan-India... In fact, we are doing equally well in tier 2 and tier 3 (cities) as in tier 1. So, that’s very gratifying,” Kachru told PTI. #radissonhotels #kbkachru #expansion #hospitalityindustry #corporatecurrent #businessnews #bihar

We continue to strengthen our presence in India targeting 500 hotels by 2030 across both luxury and mid-scale segments. With 159 hotels already operating in the country and another 137 signed, India is one of our fastest-growing markets in the Asia Pacific excluding China (APEC). This goal underscores Marriott International’s confidence in India’s dynamic travel landscape and our commitment to delivering exceptional experiences for every guest. Read more to know why Neeraj Govil, COO, Asia Pacific excluding China at Marriott International, calls India an "absolute powerhouse" for the company: https://lnkd.in/dqv2sWBb #MarriottInternational #MarriottInternationalIndia #MarriottBonvoy

Federico J. González, CEO of Radisson Hotel Group and Board Director of Louvre Hotels Group, graces our latest September 2025 cover. Widely regarded as one of the most influential leaders in global hospitality, he oversees a portfolio of more than 3,000 hotels worldwide—including 250 in India—uniting two international groups under his leadership. In this exclusive feature, he shares his perspective on India’s pivotal role in global hospitality and its phenomenal growth potential. Read the full story in the September 2025 edition of SOH. Subscribe today. Cover shoot location: sarovar portico Sriperumbudur #SOH #SOHMagazine #SOHDine #SOHDrinks #Travel #Tourism #Culture #Cuisine #Culinary #Hospitality #Business #HospitalityMagazine

Hilton and Marriott International are betting big on India’s fast-growing Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, where branded hotel penetration remains low—just 138 rooms per million people. Domestic tourism spending crossed $200 billion in 2024, creating demand for high-quality stays beyond metros. Marriott plans to grow from 30,000 to 50,000 rooms over five years, while Hilton is targeting a tenfold expansion. Challenges include quality assurance and skilled staff shortages, but global chains view India as one of the world’s strongest long-term hospitality markets. (Hilton India, Marriott expansion, domestic tourism, Tier-2 cities, branded hotels, hospitality growth)