Omar Romero: Minor Hotels’ India Growth Story is one of Luxury, Scale and a Wellness-Led Future

Omar Romero, Chief Development and Luxury Officer, Minor Hotels, speaks with Kamal Gill, Executive Editor, Today’s Traveller, in an exclusive interview about the group’s dual growth strategy in India, the role of brands such as Anantara, NH Hotels, Oaks and iStay, and why he sees Wellness as one of the strongest links between Minor Hotels and the Indian market

As Minor Hotels sharpens its focus on India, the group is making it clear that its ambitions here are long-term, strategic and wide-ranging. At the centre of this expansion story is Omar Romero, Chief Development and Luxury Officer, Minor Hotels, who is steering the company’s development strategy, brand expansion and market depth. With a dedicated team already on the ground, multiple agreements signed, and a target of 50 hotels in India over the next decade, the company is moving beyond intent and building real momentum.  

Today’s Traveller: What makes Minor Hotels’ India commitment more than a market entry experiment?

Omar Romero: At Minor Hotels, it is no secret that we are deeply committed to growth in India. This is not a case of simply testing the market. Today, we already have a team based in India. Rohit Chopra is a good example, leading our commercial efforts here. We also have a development office and an operations team, and we are in the process of opening a technical services office as well, all of which will support the pipeline that is coming up.

Today’s Traveller: Where does Minor Hotels’ India pipeline stand today?

Omar Romero: We opened our first hotel under our flagship Anantara Hotels & Resorts brand in India last year, Anantara Jewel Bagh Jaipur Hotel. Over the next ten years, we have set a target to reach 50 hotels in the country.

Today, I can tell you that beyond Jaipur, we already have four management agreements signed. We announced Avani+ Sunray Beach Visakhapatnam Resort in Vizag last year, and we will announce two more Anantara projects very soon, both very exciting signings.

We also have 12 letters of intent signed across the country, and those are currently moving through hotel management agreement negotiations. I believe that before the end of the year, we should have more than 10 confirmed projects in India. That puts us on a very good track toward our goal of 50 hotels over the next decade.

Today’s Traveller: What does your “dual growth strategy” for India look like?

Omar Romero: Our dual focus and growth strategy for India targets development in leisure destinations and cities. Yes, Minor Hotels was born in luxury and leisure. That is why the Anantara brand is so well known. But we also have 11 other brands that span from luxury to select service, catering to the needs of leisure and business travellers, and we want to grow those in India as well. Our ambition is not limited to a single market segment. We see opportunity across the spectrum.

Today’s Traveller: How do brands such as NH Hotels, Oaks, and iStay fit into your India plans?

Omar Romero: Each of these brands plays a very important role in India. NH Hotels, for example, is the largest hotel brand in Spain. We have more than 200 NH-branded hotels globally, and it is a select brand that we would like to position primarily in first and second-tier Indian cities, in strong locations such as airports, CBD districts, IT hubs and office clusters. That would allow us to showcase the brand in the right urban environment.

Then we have Oaks, a brand born in Australia, which we recently announced has repositioned from serviced apartments to a full-service hotel, resort and suites brand. We have over 60 Oaks properties in Australia and New Zealand, and we are now expanding Oaks around the world. We already have Oaks under development and operating in the Middle East and China, for example. It is an interesting model because a property can be 100 per cent sold, and we can then bring those units back into the rental programme and rent them through our system.

We also have a new select service brand that we launched earlier this year, called iStay Hotels. That is another segment of the market we believe India can absorb very well.

So when we look at India, we believe the market can welcome all of these brands.

Today’s Traveller: How are you approaching luxury, leisure and wellness-led growth in India?

Omar Romero: When it comes to the luxury side, we are again looking at dual growth. In the leisure market, we want to be in destinations that truly allow us to showcase what India is all about. First and foremost, the Indian domestic market remains a priority for us, but we also want to help bring international travellers into India. We believe our brands, and the global recognition they enjoy, will help us do that.

We are looking at beach destinations, and I hope we will be able to announce a very iconic beach resort in India very soon. We are also looking at nature reserves with strong wildlife experiences, including India’s unique fauna such as tigers, elephants and lions. We are looking at heritage properties, and we are also focusing on destinations that allow us to showcase something that fits both Minor Hotels and India exceptionally well, which is wellness.

India invented wellness. India should be the mecca of wellness for the world, because it was born in this country.

Today’s Traveller: What role do wellness and branded residences play in Minor Hotels’ long-term India vision?

Omar Romero: We have a very strong track record in operating wellness centres. And for us, wellness and spa are two completely different things. A spa is where you go for relaxation and pampering. You might have a massage, a basic yoga session, some introduction to meditation, or a light wellness experience. But wellness is a journey. It requires commitment, and it is a lifelong process. The more layers you remove, the deeper you can go into that journey of awareness.

If that is what you are looking for, then come to one of our wellness centres. In Phuket, for example, we have a wellness centre called Layan Life by Anantara. We also have another centre in Bangkok, Bangkok Life, that works along the same lines. In these places, guests can experience multiple wellness verticals, ranging from longevity clinics, beauty and anti-ageing, to nutrition, fitness and recovery. We also offer physical therapy and pain management.

At the same time, we always embrace local wellness traditions. In Thailand, that means the herbology of Thai Traditional Medicine. In India, if we are creating a wellness experience, then Ayurveda and other local healing arts must be part of that journey.

We believe this wellness component is something we can introduce not only in resort destinations, but also in major Indian cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Hyderabad. This creates an opportunity for mixed-use developments that combine a hotel with branded residences, all complemented by a wellness centre. That wellness centre can also include a membership component, helping create a complete lifestyle ecosystem.

When we talk about branded residences, we also need to recognise that there are two very different models. One is what I would call label residences, where a brand name is simply placed on a building, but the brand is not actually activated. It is only a logo at the entrance. For me, that is not enough. If we commit a Minor Hotels brand to a market and to a developer, then we need to activate that brand fully. One of the strongest ways to do that is through a wellness centre, through service, and through the overall lived experience.

Read more – Today’s Traveller Interviews