Hilton’s India reset: Betting on local luxury, weddings, and wellness

Luxury travel in India is no longer the preserve of a select few. The country’s expanding base of affluent travellers, led by millennials and the Gen Z, is reshaping how the world’s biggest hotel brands think about “premium experiences”. For Hilton, that shift is reason enough to double down on India.

“We’ve been very focussed on how we’re growing in India,” says Candice D’Cruz, vice president, Luxury Brands, Asia-Pacific, Hilton. “This is us reconnecting with the country, doubling down on our promise for India.”

India’s luxury travel market is on a sharp upward curve, and is expected to reach $131.2 billion by 2030, growing at a compounded annual rate of 10.5% from 2025 to 2030, according to Grand View Research. The surge is driven by higher disposable incomes, a swelling base of millionaires, and a younger population eager to spend on experiences rather than possessions.

Over the last year, Hilton has renewed its luxury playbook here, backed by a spate of new signings, deeper localisation, and a clear understanding that India is both a growing outbound market and a booming domestic one. The company’s Asia-Pacific luxury portfolio now includes over 500 properties globally, and India plays a key role in that growth, with 40% of Hilton’s global luxury pipeline located in this region.

Within India, Hilton operates two luxury properties—Conrad Bengaluru and Conrad Pune. In Bengaluru, 60% of guests are international, with corporate business driving demand. Pune’s guest mix flips slightly—45% international and 55% domestic, again led by business travellers. Across both hotels, Hilton Honors loyalty penetration stands at over 70%, a figure D’Cruz says demonstrates “how strongly Indian travellers value brand connection and convenience”.

Most bookings come directly through Hilton’s digital channels. “The Indian luxury traveller is extremely tech-savvy,” D’Cruz notes. “They want instant confirmation, they want control, and they use our app for digital check-in, room selection, and even the digital key.”

But the bigger story is what’s next. 

Hilton has signed two Waldorf Astorias—in Jaipur and Delhi, set to open by 2028—along with a third Conrad in Jaipur, a resort-style Conrad in Sona, and The Den Bengaluru, which will relaunch early next year under LXR Hotels & Resorts. A Signia by Hilton in Jaipur will follow, built around India’s booming weddings and MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, exhibitions) market.

“Luxury weddings are huge in India,” D’Cruz says. “People are willing to spend top dollar if it’s good quality, personalised, and gives a sense of place. You should feel Jaipur in Jaipur.”

That sense of localisation—what Hilton calls “localised luxury”—is at the heart of its India strategy. The company is collaborating with Indian artists like Subodh Kerkar, who created a Chetak-inspired installation for Conrad Bengaluru, and culinary innovators like Vinesh Johnny of Lick Gelato for LXR. “We’re a global company coming in with global brands,” says D’Cruz. “But we’re here to make them relevant for the Indian consumer.”

India’s dual travel dynamic also plays in Hilton’s favour: a surge in domestic travel from Tier II and III cities, and a rise in outbound travel to destinations such as Singapore, the UAE, and Greece. “India’s having a fast-track moment,” says D’Cruz. “The explosion of millionaires between 2021 and 2025 is almost doubling.”

For Hilton, the opportunity is clear. As D’Cruz puts it, “It’s not that we weren’t here before, it’s that we’re here with more meaning now.”