Starwood Hotels will focus on tier I and II cities and plans 100 hotels by 2015

PUNE/COIMBATORE: Leading global hotel and leisure company Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, which is targeting 100 properties by 2015 in the country, said its main focus will be tier I and II cities for its business hotel brands -- 'Four Points' and ' Aloft'.

"India has tremendous potential for growth and we have very strong pipeline for all our brands. We are looking at expanding our 'Four Points' and 'Aloft' brands, targeted at business travellers mostly in tier II and III cities," Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Managing Director for India and Regional Vice President for South Asia Dilip Puri told reporters.

The company is bullish about the country and expects India to become its third largest market after the US and China by next year.

"India is currently our fourth largest market globally. However, looking at the accelerating growth rate we expect the country to overtake Canada to become our third largest market by next year," Puri said.

Starwood globally has nine brands, of which six are already in the country. The group has brands like Westin, Sheraton, Four Points by Sheraton, The Luxury Collection, W Hotels, St Regis, Le Meridien, Aloft and Element by Westin.

The group will be launching two more brands - W Hotels and St Regis-in the country by 2015.

"We have already signed deals for developing three W Hotels and one of our premium brands St Regis, which will be operational by 2015 in New Delhi," he said.