Starwood HQ in temporary relocation to India
Next year Starwood Hotels CEO and executive team will conduct a month-long ‘residency’ in India, relocating its global headquarters to Mumbai and Delhi throughout March 2015.
The Connecticut-based hotel giant, which features nine brands including St. Regis, Sheraton and Westin, will split top executives between Mumbai and Delhi and hope to spur more deals in the South Asia region.
Starwood has had a presence in the sub-continent since 1973 and currently operates 40 hotels in India with 36 more in development.
In a statement Starwood said it is on course to reach a target of 100 hotels under operation or development in the South Asia region by 2016.
Overall demand for hotels in India is growing and evolving as the domestic economy expands and international visitation increases,” said Simon Turner, Starwood president of global development.
India is one of the world’s fastest growing outbound travel markets, which is expected to surpass 50 million international travelers by 2020.
“This is a particularly exciting time for us to relocate to India and its renewed focus on travel infrastructure is much needed, as travel demand is fueled by economic growth and a population expected to overtake China by 2030,” said Starwood CEO Fritz van Paasschen.
The global HQ relocation to India follows similar moves in 2011 to China and 2013 to Dubai.
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
France prepares for a massive strike across all transports on September 18
Turkish tourism stalls due to soaring prices for accommodation and food
CCS Insight: eSIMs ready to take the travel world by storm
Germany new European Entry/Exit System limited to a single airport on October 12, 2025
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt