It's destination India for weddings this season

Indian hoteliers are reporting a double-digit uptick in wedding bookings this year compared to last year offsetting some losses triggered by the uncertainty around travel timelines, flight fares and schedules due to the US- Iran war for months.

In a recent address, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also advised Indians to avoid overseas destination weddings amid the ongoing conflict. Hotels are also ramping up their focus on the wedding segment through greater outreach this year.

ITC Hotels MD Anil Chadha said the chain is seeing a ‘strong demand’ for weddings, reflecting a ‘clear’ uptick compared to last year.


He said demand is particularly pronounced for the chain’s key luxury wedding hotels across locations such as Goa, Agra, Jaipur, and Udaipur. “The shift towards domestic celebrations, coupled with constraints on international travel is continuing to support this growth,” said Chadha, adding that the chain is also ‘actively’ engaging with leading wedding planners and families to curate differentiated venues and experiences across its brands.

Indian Hotels Company (IHCL) is seeing a 25% uptick in wedding bookings for its Goa properties this year compared to the same time last year, said Ranjit Phillipose, senior VP, operations, Goa. “Markets in the Middle East were seeing a lot of Indian destination weddings, but there have been safety concerns around travelling overseas. People are now even getting married during the monsoon season in Goa, which wasn’t the case earlier,” he added. The company is hosting its first monsoon wedding at La Estoria, a SeleQtions hotel in Goa, besides a small intimate boutique wedding at the new AMA Imperial Villa.

Wedding enquiries across Radisson Hotel Group’s portfolio have grown in double digits year-on-year with destination weddings across leisure and resort destinations continuing to account for most of demand,” said Nikhil Sharma, MD and COO (South Asia) at Radisson Hotel Group. The chain’s properties in Goa, Nashik, Chandigarh, Indore and Guwahati are performing ‘particularly well’, he said.

"Increasingly, travellers are opting for domestic destinations that offer strong hospitality infrastructure, accessibility and unique experiences, making them attractive choices for weddings and celebrations," he added.

At Marriott International’s first Autograph Collection Hotel in India, the wedding business is tracking over 25% ahead of last year, said Mahesh Singh Jasrotia, general manager, Noor Mahal Delhi NCR Karnal, Autograph Collection. Jasrotia said over the past few months, weddings initially planned overseas have moved back to India with confirmations coming for dates as early as August. Jasrotia said the recent transition to the Marriott portfolio has played a 'significant' role in strengthening the property's position in the wedding market. In April, Marriott International announced the launch of Autograph Collection Hotels in India, with the 176 keys Noormahal, located in Karnal, and popularly known as a collectors' palace, transitioning into an Autograph Collection hotel.

"The rebranding has brought enhanced brand standards, global best practices, and a refreshed approach to guest experiences. We have refined our wedding offerings, and have leveraged Marriott’s global distribution and loyalty ecosystem to reach a wider audience," said Jasrotia.

Leisure Hotels Group has seen a 20% jump in wedding enquiries compared to last year with a corresponding rise in conversions as well, said Shahzad Aslam, director of sales at the chain.

Hotels have also looked to launch new initiatives around weddings. Fairmont Jaipur launched The Green Kitchen, a vegetarian culinary concept that incorporates regional vegetarian recipes and forgotten heirloom dishes focusing on Jain and Marwari weddings this month. “We are seeing a strong demand from families seeking authentic royal experiences and personalised service,” said Rajat Sethi, cluster general manager for Fairmont Jaipur and Raffles Jaipur.

Sarovar Hotels has looked at dedicated wedding studios at select hotels and is seeing a growing interest in emerging locations such as Chitwan, Pilibhit, Sindhudurg, and Mathura. In the first five months of 2026, weddings and wedding related events contributed nearly 16% to the chain’s overall food and beverage revenue, said Jatin Khanna, CEO of Sarovar Hotels. "We are also seeing higher guest spending, with average per-cover revenues increasing by around 8% as couples invest more in curated experiences, personalised celebrations, and premium hospitality offerings," he added.

Khanna said Sarovar's international brand, Golden Tulip, is also witnessing strong momentum, with nearly 20% of its portfolio’s wedding revenues coming from this brand.

Leisure Hotels Group is developing a dedicated weddings platform and brand-led IP to showcase its wedding offerings under a unified identity and simplify the planning process for couples."On the operations front, we have strengthened cross-functional planning and execution teams across properties to deliver a more streamlined and consistent wedding experience from enquiries to celebrations," said Aslam.

Manish Yadav, director of sales and marketing at Raffles Udaipur, said while it would be difficult to directly link booking trends to any single development, there’s a clear preference for ‘iconic’ Indian destinations that offer ‘exceptional hospitality’ and 'bespoke' experiences.