With a strong pipeline of projects in place, Dimitris Manikis, President, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts EMEA, is confident about India’s prospects and growth strategy
BY SHUJATH ALI
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts (WHR) is the world’s largest hotel franchising company with approximately 9,200 hotels across 95 countries. India is one of the world’s most dynamic growing hospitality markets, where Wyndham currently has 60 hotels open and expects to grow by at least 25 per cent in the next 18 months.
Wyndham’s portfolio of 25 hotel brands ranges from luxury to budget and extended stay to lifestyle; each brand has its own identity and appeals to a certain type of traveller.
As a premium hospitality company that is on a mission to make hotel travel possible for all, Wyndham offers great accommodation options across a diverse range of destinations, especially in tier I and II cities.
THE WYNDHAM ADVANTAGE
Through their OwnerFirst approach, Wyndham franchisees benefit from the Wyndham Advantage – a combination of world-class marketing, distribution and other resources designed to put owners on the path to success.
With their unmatched scale and reach, the Wyndham Advantage means over 6,100 hotel owners receive personalised support to help simplify operations and reduce costs.
Inclusive of nearly $325 million in innovative technology investments over the past six years, owners have access to best-in-class technology from industry-leading providers, including next-gen property management systems, as well as a growing member base of approximately 112 million enrolled Wyndham Rewards members who make up more than a third of all check-ins globally.
With the aim of ensuring travel is accessible for all, the group is betting big on India with a focus on spiritual tourism, weekend getaways, family vacations, weddings and business travel.
TAKING THE HIGHWAY ROUTE TO GROWTH
As a leader in the economy and midscale segments of the lodging industry, part of Wyndham’s robust growth strategy is to open budget and midscale hotels near highways, riding on the infrastructure boom.
This new hotel offering will cater to travellers looking to break up long car journeys for either business or leisure and continue their journey during the day.
The hospitality industry is witnessing a rise in the burgeoning middle class that is fuelling a sustained increase in domestic travel. By offering a reliable and welcoming environment, Wyndham hotels will cater to the needs of families, business travellers, and tourists, enhancing their overall travel experience and positioning Wyndham as a preferred choice for roadside travellers in India’s evolving landscape.
LOOKING BACK
Wyndham has a large presence in the Indian sub-continent with eight operational brands including Wyndham, Ramada by Wyndham, Ramada Encore by Wyndham, Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham, Howard Johnson by Wyndham, Trademark Collection by Wyndham, Wyndham Garden and Days Inn by Wyndham.
Keeping their commitment to expanding in India the chain has had several new hotel openings in the country in 2024. These include two hotels under their Trademark Collection brand, a soft conversion brand in Amritsar and Kerala as well as the first Ramada Encore in Udaipur and a further two openings under the world-renowned Ramada by Wyndham brand in Ahmedabad and Gorakhpur. Wyndham also welcomed the first Wyndham Garden in India under the midscale hotel brand in Sonipat, further solidifying its commitment to offering a diverse range of hospitality options for travellers across the nation.
“We are expanding upper-scale brands across the region and selectively placing mid-market brands in tier I and II cities. In India, we have 60 operational hotels and a strong development pipeline, with brands like Wyndham, Wyndham Grand, Ramada, Days Inn, and Microtel entering the market. We are also emphasizing growth in the long-stay segment and capitalising on India’s rising outbound tourism market,” said Dimitris Manikis, President, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts EMEA.
SKILL CUES
Wyndham is committed to prioritising skill development initiatives and to further this, collaborates with academic bodies to provide specialised training and internship opportunities underscoring the company’s dedication to fostering talent within the hospitality industry.
WHR offers annual scholarships to two meritorious students from Christel House Bangalore, an institution supporting economically disadvantaged students. The scholarships enable selected students to enrol in undergraduate degree programmes at ISH in BBA (Hospitality Management) and B.A. in Culinary Arts.
Designed to promote uniform educational opportunities and inclusivity, these scholarships cover tuition and residence fees, allowing students to fully focus on honing their skills in the hospitality segment.
Wyndham has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the International Institute of Hotel Management (IIHM) to foster better educational opportunities and industry exposure for students pursuing a diploma in Hospitality Management. This strategic collaboration aims to bridge the gap between academic learning and industry practice, providing students with invaluable practical experience and insights into the evolving hospitality landscape.
Through this partnership, Wyndham will work closely with IIHM to support teaching and training methodologies, customising the curriculum to align with current industry standards and requirements. It will also facilitate industrial training programs for students, helping them gain hands-on experience and essential skills needed in today’s dynamic hospitality industry.
Additionally, Wyndham representatives will deliver guest lectures at IIHM, offering students a direct window into real-world practices and trends.
GOING GREEN
WHR is committed to protecting the environment through its strategic vision of fostering a values-driven culture and delivering long-term sustainable value. Wyndham Green, a global sustainability programme addresses key issues like climate change, energy efficiency, water conservation, waste diversion, and biodiversity.
The certification programme includes a robust data management system known as the Wyndham Green Toolbox, specifically designed to track, measure, and report on global performance of energy and water consumption, emissions generation, and waste diversion.
The Toolbox offers franchisees a visual representation of their environmental footprint allowing them to track their environmental performance.
India is proudly leading the programme with four Wyndham hotels achieving the Expert Level status, the highest certification in the programme.
This commitment to sustainable practices is one of the many ways Wyndham ensures their core values align with those of their guests. As a member of the World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, Wyndham collaborates with global leaders to build towards a more sustainable and inclusive future.
LOYALTY MATTERS
With approximately 112 million Wyndham Rewards enrolled members, the company has a robust loyalty programme. Wyndham Rewards is simple, attainable, generous, and one of the fastest growing hotel rewards programmes in the world – nearly doubling in size in five years.
There are three simple redemption tiers at 7,500 points, 15,000 points, and 30,000 points. Members stay and spend nearly twice as much as non-members (on average) and this is the only programme to offer a guaranteed 1,000 points with every stay.
Members also get to unlock special perks like late checkout, preferred rooms, suite upgrades and more. It is little wonder then that this program has over 100-plus accolades and counting including USA Today’s #1 hotel rewards programme and #1 hotel co-brand credit card.
FUTURE OUTLOOK
Wyndham is on a positive upwards trajectory and remains steadfast in their ambitious growth strategy for the Eurasia region. With nearly 50 hotels in the pipeline in India, Wyndham is focusing its strategic efforts on introducing more of their diverse brands to the country including the first-ever Wyndham Grand in Rajasthan.
Wyndham has also recently inked an exclusive development agreement to bring the award-winning Microtel by Wyndham brand to India. “We anticipate opening 40 Microtel hotels by 2031, all of which will be direct franchisees of Wyndham, managed by NILE Hospitality,” said Dimitris.
As the demand for combining business and leisure staycations continues, Wyndham will enter the branded residences space in 2025 with five projects in major cities including Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru. This will later expand to other cities including Chennai and Goa.
Wyndham’s optimism extends beyond branded residences with vast potential for both outbound and inbound tourism, making it a key market for development opportunities. With a strong pipeline of projects in place, Wyndham is confident about India’s prospects and poised to capitalise on the growing demand for branded residences and hospitality services in the country.
As part of their overall plan for 2025, Wyndham is continuing to invest in its people who are at the heart of everything they do. Wyndham will be moving to a new office in Gurgaon due to the expansion of the team with plans to add even more roles in business development, operations, revenue and sales support.
This aligns with the positive outlook for the region and will better enable Wyndham to implement its ambitious growth plans and cater to the needs of its owners, partners and guests.
