InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), the world’s largest hotel chain by number of rooms has lined up aggressive expansion plans in India, expecting huge growth opportunities. IHG, which controls 621,000 rooms worldwide and recently parted ways with Grand Hotels of late Lalit Suri, plans to add 31 new hotels across India on its own. The group does not build or buy hotels but uses partnerships built around its brands.

IHG currently has 11 hotels in its portfolio including four InterContinental, Two Crowne Plaza and five Holiday Inn brand hotels in the country.

The new hotels will be in these three categories will be commissioned over the next two years, said IHG’s Asia & Australia regional MD Jan Smits.

With more than 40 years of operating experience in the country, and the first international hotel group to foray into the Indian market, IHG is possibly the most active global chain in India.