Thailand-based Dusit International announces its return to India

Dusit International, the Thailand-based hospitality firm, is making its re-entry into India. The company is looking at launching at least two Dusit-branded hotels per the year 2021 onward in tier I and tier II cities.

Under a franchise agreement with the Jain Group, the firm will launch Dusit Princess Serviced Suites Kolkata by 2023. Jain Group is a real estate, hospitality and finance organisation based in Kolkata.

The Thailand-based company is already in talks with other potential owners. It claims that Dusit will conclude at least four more contracts within the next one year.

Lim Boon Kwee, Chief Operating Officer of Dusit International, told a leading organization, “Our Kolkata hotel will start operations in 2023 and in the meantime, we are negotiating projects some of which are rebranded properties which will start operating from next year. Our focus is going to be on key leisure destinations next year.”

For expansion, the hospitality firm will be eyeing markets like Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru and key leisure destinations including Goa.

Presently, Dusit International is operating six key brands. These include Dusit Thani, Devarana, dusitD2, Dusit Princess besides two new additions, millennial brand Asai hotels and luxury villa rentals Elite Havens.

“We will enter the India market by introducing upscale and mid-scale brands (Princess and dusitD2 respectively) in leisure destinations such as Goa. I believe India has a huge domestic market and it can accommodate many more hospitality players,” Kwee stated.

Kwee further added, “We have never exited India. Actually, we just opened 20 villas in Goa and Maharashtra under our villa rental brand Elite Havens.”