After opening the first Swissotel property in India, in Kolkata on July 1, the hotel group has announced two more hotels in Bangalore and New Delhi, with plans for further expansion in the subcontinent.
Meinhard Huck, president of Swissotel, said he hopes to open up to 20 hotels in India.
In an exclusive interview with ABTN, he said : "Now that we are open [in Kolkata] and we have momentum, I would like to think in the next few years we will achieve that objective."
Like Kolkata, the hotels will be run by Swissotel under a management contract with their owners.
"That is our strategy," said Huck, "not only in India but in general terms."
The hotels will mainly be in business destinations, added Huck: "We are a business hotel."
Both new properties are in fast-growing locations outside the city centre - Whitefields in Bangalore, home to a number of technology company headquarters, and Gurgaon in New Delhi - which offer plenty of opportunity for new build hotels.
According to Huck, this means Swissotel can be clear about its brand standards from the start of the project. "It's always easier than a conversion," he said.
Swissotel will target business travellers, both from within India and abroad.
The business travel industry in India is growing, said Huck: "When you see what is happening in India in terms of development, it's a growing market. Within India, business travel will increase dramatically."
Swissotel Gurgaon will be located 18km from Delhi International airport and will have 240 rooms, as well as conference and event facilities, a spa, swimming pool and several restaurants and bars. It is due to open in 2013.
The Swissotel Whitefield, Bangalore, will have 150 rooms, a rooftop pool and bar and meeting spaces. It will form part of a mixed use development, with restaurants, shops and a cinema, located 15km north-east of the city centre.
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