Global brands bet high on Indian budget hotel segment

MUMBAI: Even as the Indian hospitality is back on recovery, global players such as Golden Tulip and Premier Inn are betting big on the budget hotel segment, that boomed during the economic downturn.

France-based Louvre Hotels, that operates Golden Tulip brand, and UK's largest chain Premier Inn are planning to expand their foot prints in the country in the next 2-3 years.

"There is a huge scope for us in the budget segment as the moderate-priced hotels is increasingly addressing need of people who want to travel but have cheaper accomodation," Louvre Hotels' President, Pierre Frederic Roulot told PTI here.

Louvre Hotels, which operates 7 brands across the world is planning to open 50 hotels in the next 5 years under its 4 mid-scale brand such--Golden Tulip, Tulip Inn, Campanile and Premiere Classe.

"We are planning 50 hotels in the next 5 years. By end of 2010 we plan to open 10 Golden Tulip and Tulip Hotels with 1200 rooms. Campanile and Premier Classe are our budget brands and we plan to launch this brands by next year," Roulot said, adding that currently, it has 3 Golden Tulip hotels Lucknow, Jaipur and Gurgaon.