ITC Hotels

Overview

ITC Hotels is an Indian hospitality chain and one of the largest hotel groups in the country. Originally a division of the diversified conglomerate ITC Limited, the business operates luxury, premium and mid-market hotels across India under multiple brands. The chain is particularly known for its luxury flagship brand and its emphasis on responsible luxury, with several of its properties certified for high standards of green building practice.

Key facts

Background

The hotels business was launched by ITC Limited in the 1970s as part of the company's diversification away from its core tobacco operations. Over the following decades it grew into a multi-brand portfolio addressing different market segments, ranging from luxury convention hotels in metropolitan cities to heritage and mid-scale properties in smaller cities and tourist destinations.

Brand portfolio

• ITC Hotels – the luxury flagship, comprising large convention and business hotels in major Indian cities. Notable properties include ITC Maurya in New Delhi, ITC Grand Chola in Chennai, ITC Maratha in Mumbai, ITC Sonar in Kolkata, ITC Gardenia in Bengaluru, ITC Kakatiya in Hyderabad and ITC Grand Central in Mumbai.
• Welcomhotel – upper-upscale hotels positioned in the premium segment.
• Fortune Hotels – mid-market full-service hotels operated through ITC's subsidiary Fortune Park Hotels Limited, with properties spread across tier-two and tier-three cities.
• WelcomHeritage – a chain of palaces, forts, havelis and heritage resorts, often run in association with the families that owned the original properties.

International association

ITC Hotels has had a long-standing association with The Luxury Collection of Marriott International (originally with Sheraton and ITT Sheraton, later inherited by Starwood and then Marriott). Several flagship ITC properties were co-branded with Sheraton for many years before the chain transitioned a number of its hotels to The Luxury Collection following the Marriott–Starwood merger.

Sustainability

The chain has positioned itself around the concept of "Responsible Luxury", emphasising energy efficiency, water conservation and environmentally sensitive design. Several ITC Hotels properties have received LEED Platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, and the company has highlighted the use of renewable energy across parts of its portfolio.

Cuisine and restaurants

ITC Hotels has developed a number of signature restaurant brands that operate across multiple properties, including Bukhara and Dum Pukht (north-west frontier and Awadhi cuisine, originating at ITC Maurya, New Delhi), Dakshin (south Indian cuisine), Peshawri, Kebabs & Kurries and Royal Vega. Bukhara, in particular, is widely cited as one of India's best-known restaurants.

Demerger

ITC Limited announced a plan to separate the hotels business into a distinct listed entity, with shareholders of the parent company receiving shares in the demerged hotels company. The demerger was intended to give the hospitality business an independent capital structure while retaining ITC Limited as a significant shareholder.

Significance

ITC Hotels is among the largest domestic hotel operators in India by number of luxury rooms and is regarded as a major competitor to other large Indian chains. Its convention-scale luxury hotels in metropolitan cities have hosted state visits, international summits and major business events, and the group has played a notable role in popularising Indian regional cuisines through its restaurant concepts.

Related topics

• ITC Limited
• Indian Hotels Company
• Oberoi Group
• Hospitality industry in India
• Tourism in India
• Marriott International
• LEED

References

• Wikidata: Q17058333
• ITC Limited corporate disclosures and annual reports.