INDIANS have a penchant for hospitality. In fact, the service in hotel brands operating in India is known to be a notch above the required standards. Whether it’s five star luxury or even a strong mid-market product, there is no doubt that hotels in India know how to keep their guests happy. Therefore, it is natural for our home-grown, internationally renowned hotel brands to look abroad, especially with the substantial growth in out-bound tourism.

International chains with connects to India are busy harping about their desi connect, from staff — waiters to concierges, who speak Indian languages— to breakfast offerings which offer everything from the staple idlis to more complicated (and often vegetarian) delicacies. Why should it be international chains that strive to make their service ‘more Indian’, when someone with the same DNA can match our expectations?

In the expansion plans of many chains, from those that have had international properties for years and have been looking at profit centres to chains that are looking to go abroad after making a mark in India, there seems to be a trend to look at certain areas of the world. Areas where Indian tourists like to travel.