The Adani Group is gearing up for a significant expansion into the Indian hospitality market, with ambitious plans to
develop one of the country's largest hotel portfolios, according to a Times of India report on December 20. This move
represents a strategic shift for the conglomerate, leveraging its rapidly growing airport and real estate businesses to
compete with established players like the Tata Group's Taj, ITC Hotels, and the Oberoi chain.
The group intends to develop more than 60 hotels across India, primarily connected to the airports it operates and the
extensive real estate projects it controls. Jeet Adani, a director at Adani Group, stated that the sheer size of this
planned portfolio would rank it among the largest in the nation.
Navi Mumbai is central to this hospitality push, as the group is developing a new international airport there along with
substantial surrounding real estate. The plans include approximately 15 hotels in Navi Mumbai alone, demonstrating the
scale of the group's ambition and its confidence in the future demand for business travel, events, and leisure stays in
Rather than operate hotels under its own brand, the Adani Group intends to partner with international hotel operators
for property management. This approach allows the group to concentrate on asset development while relying on established
global brands for operations, distribution, and customer loyalty.
The hospitality expansion is part of a broader strategy to transform Adani-operated airports into multi-use urban
centers. These hubs will include retail spaces, food and beverage outlets, convention centers, and entertainment venues
alongside passenger terminals. This "city-side" development aims to decrease reliance on aeronautical revenues, such as
landing and parking fees, which currently account for approximately half of airport revenues. The group anticipates this
share to decrease significantly to around 10% as non-aeronautical businesses, including hotels, lounges, retail, and
events, become more prominent. The goal is to reposition airports as commercial districts rather than solely transport
Large convention and event infrastructure is a key component of this strategy. The Adani Group plans to develop a major
convention center in Mumbai and a smaller arena with a 25,000-seat capacity in Navi Mumbai. These facilities are
designed to attract exhibitions, corporate events, and large gatherings, which will generate consistent demand for
nearby hotels, restaurants, and transportation services.
This strategy mirrors a global trend in airport-led urban development, where airports serve as economic anchors for
entire districts. Reliance Industries’ Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai’s Bandra Kurla Complex, which opened in
2022, has already illustrated the potential of large, integrated event spaces. Adani’s plans suggest a similar ambition
to build interconnected ecosystems directly linked to airports.
Acquisitions also play a role in the group's hospitality roadmap. The Adani Group has expressed interest in acquiring 88
assets of the Sahara Group, including the Sahara Star hotel in Mumbai, a prominent property near the airport.
Separately, the group has secured creditors’ approval to acquire assets of the Jaypee Group, which include five hotels
in northern India. These deals would enable Adani to expand rapidly by incorporating existing properties into its
Despite the envisioned size of the hotel business, the group does not plan to spin it off into a separate company. Real
estate assets will remain with Adani Realty and Adani Properties, while airport-linked developments will stay within the
airport business. To ensure coordination, a unified management team has been established to maximize value across both