Vibhas Prasad, Director, Leisure Hotels Group

India is well-known for its cultural and heritage diversity and is ranked 6th on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites globally, with 38 World Heritage Sites. In recent years, heritage tourism in India has grown at an accelerating rate.

With centuries of rich history and culture, countless forts, palaces, and monuments, India has consistently been one of the most popular destinations for both domestic and international tourists looking to discover heritage.

Leisure Hotels Group, a luxury experiential resort chain with 29 boutique locations in North India, also owns and operates four heritage resorts:

The Naini Retreat, Nainital formerly the residence of the erstwhile Maharaja of Pilibhit, built in 1927 and has been restored to this beautiful resort in 1989; Haveli Hari Ganga, Haridwar, a 100-year-old Haveli, boasts of private bathing ghat and retains its royal enigma with ornately furnished interiors and antique paraphernalia; Pilibhit House, Haridwar, owned by the group, anaristocratic noble house by the Ganges belonging to Pilibhit’s first family dates back to 1913. It has been restored meticulously and rebadged as an IHCL Seleqtions hotel and Adivaha, Dharamshala, historically known as the ‘East Home,’ has the Viceroy Block, which has a history of almost 240 years. During the British Raj, it had a colonial charm reminiscent of a bygone period. This century-old building emerged from the hands of notable immediate British bureaucrats and Punjab Royals.

Our group will continue to adopt a multi-pronged strategy in the future, either by acquiring and restoring such hotels/ resorts or by expanding this niche segment through management vertical.