Airport Hospitality Push: Adani and IHCL Sign Multi-Hotel Deal

Mumbai, October 29: In a move that signals a deeper push into airport-linked hospitality, Adani Airport Holdings Limited (AAHL) and The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) have signed a multi-hotel agreement. The deal, announced on Thursday, will bring eight new hotels to four cities.

The hotels, offering a total of 2,000 rooms, are planned for Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Lucknow and Guwahati. They will operate under four brands: Taj, Vivanta, Gateway and Ginger. The brands target different categories of guests, from corporate travellers to leisure visitors and passengers passing through airports.

Under the arrangement, Adani Airports will develop the properties while IHCL will operate them through its multi-brand portfolio. The companies believe this partnership will provide premium hospitality options at major airports across the country.

To drive the initiative, Adani Airports has created Adani Airport City Limited. The subsidiary plans to develop over 655 acres at eight airports in seven states, including about 440 acres in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai.

For the first phase, Adani Airport City will invest more than Rs 20,000 crore to develop around 22 million square feet in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Jaipur and Guwahati.

The agreement includes three Taj hotels, two Vivanta hotels, one Gateway hotel and two Ginger hotels. A Taj property will be built at Mumbai Airport's Terminal 2. Lucknow will see a Vivanta and a Ginger hotel near the airport. Ahmedabad will host a Taj and a Vivanta, with development already progressing well. Guwahati will have a Taj, a Gateway and a Ginger hotel.

The eight airport hotels are expected to collectively offer lodging, dining, meetings and events, wellness and entertainment facilities.

Jeet Adani, Director of Adani Airport Holdings Limited, said global airports are increasingly evolving into integrated centres that support trade, tourism and urban development. He described the IHCL partnership as a key step in that direction.

He said the collaboration joins Adani's hospitality-driven mixed-use projects with India's leading hospitality company. He added that the goal is to create world-class hotels in major cities, including iconic Taj hotels.

Adani also said the companies aim to strengthen the hospitality ecosystem within their airport city projects and contribute to the long-term economic development of the regions where they operate.