Marriott Targets 100 Cities in India, Citing Awareness Gap
Marriott CEO Anthony Capuano notes India faces an awareness issue rather than overtourism, as foreign arrivals dropped 9.4% in 2025.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Marriott aims to expand its footprint across 100 cities in India by the end of 2026.
- The CEO argues India's primary hurdle is brand awareness, not overtourism.
- Domestic travelers currently account for roughly 70% of Marriott's demand in India.
- Foreign tourist arrivals dropped 9.4% in 2025 to approximately 9 million visitors.
India's inbound tourism sector faces a persistent hurdle in attracting international visitors. Despite boasting a rich tapestry of history, culture, and cuisine, the country continues to struggle with global visibility, a challenge recently highlighted by the head of a major international hospitality company.
Anthony Capuano, Chief Executive Officer of Marriott International, shared his perspective at the World Leaders Forum in India last week. He argued that India does not suffer from overtourism like many popular global hotspots, but rather contends with a significant awareness gap among international travelers.
Capuano pointed out that most international visitors are familiar with only two or three major Indian cities, completely missing the extraordinary richness found everywhere else in the country. Consequently, domestic demand currently serves as a resilient backbone, making up about 70 percent of Marriott's total business in the nation.
"You'd be hard-pressed to find another country in the world that has the richness of destinations, the richness of history, the richness of culture, the richness of cuisine, and in some ways, some of it is a well-kept secret,"
Anthony Capuano, Marriott CEO
This observation aligns with official government data showing that foreign tourist arrivals fell 9.4 percent in 2025 to roughly 9 million. This figure keeps the country below pre-pandemic levels and accounts for just 1.4 percent of global arrivals, coming amid steep cuts in overseas tourism marketing budgets.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Marriott's aggressive expansion strategy in India despite declining foreign arrivals highlights a strategic pivot toward the robust domestic travel market and rising middle class. Expanding midscale brands into Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities allows operators to capture localized demand while mitigating the volatility of international tourism flows. Furthermore, successful public-private partnerships will be vital in reshaping global perceptions and effectively marketing India's diverse regional offerings to a wider audience.
Despite these headwinds, Marriott remains heavily invested in the region's long-term potential. The company is driving toward a target of operating in 100 cities by the end of 2026 and scaling up to 50,000 rooms by 2030, deploying diverse brands to capture growth in emerging markets alongside major international and domestic competitors.
Source: Skift
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