Marriott International, the world’s largest hotel chain in terms of the number of rooms, is expected to surpass a billion dollars in top-line revenue in India this year. The company’s President, Rajeev Menon, stated in an exclusive interview with ET that India is a ‘decades-long growth story’ and that the country’s revenue for this year is estimated to be around Rs 9,000 crores. In the first six months of the year, Marriott has witnessed a 56% growth in revenue per available room compared to 2022 and a 35% growth compared to 2019, which was a good year for comparison as the recovery had just started in 2022. Menon attributed the growth to the strong domestic market and the quick rebound of domestic air travel to pre-Covid levels. International travel to India has also shown a significant increase. As smaller cities in India begin to develop infrastructure and attract industries, Marriott anticipates ‘explosive growth’ across the board. The company has already opened 10 new hotels this year and plans to add 50 more hotels in India by the end of next year. Menon emphasized the unique opportunity presented by the secondary and tertiary markets in India. The growth strategy includes opening hotels in cities such as Shillong, Coorg, Rishikesh, and Amritsar. Additionally, Marriott recently signed an agreement to open a hotel in Ayodhya, two hotels in Guwahati, and a courtyard in Gwalior. With a current total of 145 operational hotels in India, comprising approximately 27,000 rooms, Marriott aims to further expand its footprint and capitalize on the growth potential of the Indian hospitality industry.