The Hotel Investment Conference – South Asia (HICSA) 2025, organised by Hotelivate, concluded its 20th edition at The Westin Mumbai Powai Lake. With over 770 delegates from 16 countries, HICSA brought together hotel owners, investors, operators, developers, legal experts, bankers and consultants. Over the course of two days, more than 100 speakers shared insights across 30 curated sessions, touching on key themes such as investment trends, brand performance, AI in hospitality, alternative accommodations, and sustainability.
A highlight of the event was the closed-door Owners’ Only Workshop, which saw participation from over 170 owners. The workshop featured discussions on creating efficient back-of-house operations, legal challenges across decades, and owner-led panels that addressed pressing industry topics.
Global voices take the stage
HICSA 2025 featured exclusive interviews and keynote addresses from some of the biggest names in global hospitality. Speakers included Kevin Goh of CapitaLand and The Ascott, Vikram Oberoi of The Oberoi Group, Ritesh Agarwal of OYO, Kenneth Macpherson of IHG Hotels & Resorts, and Sébastien Bazin of Accor.
Additional global leaders such as Dillip Rajakarier from Minor Hotels, Dimitris Manikis from Wyndham, Gaurav Bhushan of Ennismore, Haitham Mattar from IHG, Sunjae Sharma of Hyatt, Jatin Khanna of Sarovar Hotels, and Elie Younes of Radisson were also part of the conversations, further enhancing the depth and global relevance of the summit.
A platform for bold ideas and celebrated journeys
One of the most talked-about sessions was the panel titled “General Manager to CEO – The Journey” featuring Anil Chadha of ITC Hotels, Anuraag Bhatnagar of The Leela, Dr Sanjay Sethi of Chalet Hotels, and Rajeev Menon of Marriott, moderated by Mohit Nirula of The Oberoi Group. The session received a standing ovation for its powerful storytelling and real-life insights.
Other key discussions explored themes such as franchising, luxury investments, branded residences, hotel valuations and the long-term impact of environmental challenges on hospitality.
Recognising excellence in hospitality
The HICSA Hotels of the Year Awards presented by MakeMyTrip honoured standout properties across various categories. The Critics’ Choice Award went to The Lotus Palace in Chettinad.
Winners in other categories included:
• ITC Ratnadipa Colombo in the Luxury segment
• Hilton Kathmandu in the Upscale and Upper Upscale category
• Hyatt Place Aurangabad Airport in the Upper Midmarket segment
• Moxy Bengaluru Airport Prestige Tech Cloud in the Budget and Midmarket segment
• Morickap Lords 83 in the Boutique segment
• Hyatt Centric Ballygunge Kolkata in the Urban Conversion segment
• Ronil Goa JDV by Hyatt in the Leisure Conversion segment
Celebrating leadership at the helm
The General Manager of the Year Awards, also presented by MakeMyTrip, recognised leaders who have shown exceptional commitment and performance.
• Prafull Dhapate of Holiday Inn Express Pune Pimpri won in the Budget and Economy category
• Divakar Shukla of Holiday Inn Chennai OMR IT Expressway in the Midmarket and Upper Midmarket category
• Amardeep Singh of The Westin Resort and Spa Himalayas in the Upscale and Upper Upscale category
• Abhimanyu Singh Lodha of The Lodhi New Delhi in the Luxury category
The event concluded with a cocktail reception and an after-hours celebration hosted at The Fairmont Mumbai, offering the perfect close to an impactful summit.
