The Next Decade of Indian Hospitality

Our Partner, Sujjain Talwar shares his insight in SOH Magazine, “The Next Decade of Indian Hospitality.”

He highlights that the shift towards institutional capital has changed everything: what was once largely promoter-driven and relationship-based is now far more document-driven, contract-led, and granular. Management contracts, remain heavily skewed in favour of brands. Fee structures are typically tied to revenue, which means brands collect their fees regardless of how an owner’s debt is performing. There is likely to be greater insistence on brands having skin in the game. Aligning fees more closely with net profitability after financial obligations. Without that, long-term project viability itself could be at risk.

There is another legal frontier emerging that the industry has barely begun to grapple with. Data privacy regulations now carry penalties of up to 250 crore for breaches, and hotels, which sit on extraordinarily sensitive personal data across every booking touchpoint, are caught between owners who argue they lack operational control and brands that resist full liability. There is currently a gap in how this risk is allocated. It will not remain a gap for long.

Read the article here