India’s outbound market is becoming important enough for hotels to follow the traveller overseas

A new hospitality-industry analysis points to India’s outbound tourism market heading towards 40 million international departures in 2026, increasing the strategic importance of Indian travellers for hotel companies outside the country.

This is a crucial change in the competitive landscape.

Indian hotel groups are no longer looking only at domestic room supply. As Indian travellers become more international, hotel companies can follow them into Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Europe and other markets.

B2B angle: Expect more Indian hotel brands to pursue overseas management contracts, partnerships and acquisitions—and more foreign destinations to build India-specific sales strategies.