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Hyatt Eyes an India-First Brand — Exclusive


Skift Take

Hyatt isn’t just aiming to grow its brand presence in India, it wants to build a brand rooted in the country’s own identity. Now, will this come from building something from scratch, or buying into something that already exists?

Hyatt Hotels is eyeing plans to build a brand concept specifically for India, following on from its Atona concept in Japan.

“We believe India does have the opportunity, where maybe we can develop something that is uniquely Indian, and can also be globalized,” Stephen Ho, president, Greater China and growth for Asia Pacific at Hyatt, told Skift exclusively. 

Hyatt entered India in 1983, and now has 55 hotels across the country. However, the company believes the country is under-visited and is assessing whether a local brand, built from India's traditions and landscapes — rather than imported from outside — could attract both domestic travelers and international visitors.

“We’re targeting Indians who want to discover their own country. But in India there is also under-tourism, because despite being such a big country,