The Radisson Hotel Group and the MBD Group have signed a long-term master franchise agreement to develop 50 co-branded hotels under the Radisson Collection and Radisson Red brands across India. The expansion is expected to follow an asset-light model with new properties planned for strategic locations such as Lake Pichola in Udaipur, the newly operational Navi Mumbai airport, Bengaluru and Ranthambore. KB Kachru, chairman emeritus and principal advisor for Radisson Hotels Group South Asia, told Business Standard that India is at the cusp of growth and has a substantial population under the age of 35 that is aspirational.

The partners intend to roll out the portfolio over the next 10 years with a mix of managed and franchised hotels alongside a smaller proportion of owned assets. The planned composition is about 80 per cent managed and franchised hotels and 20 per cent owned properties, reflecting a shared focus on scalable, asset-light expansion, the joint managing director of MBD Group said. The company added that about 80 per cent of the expansion will be through the lifestyle brand Radisson Red while the remaining 20 per cent will be delivered under Radisson Collection.

MBD Group said the combined valuation of the 50 assets under management through the partnership could be roughly Rs 100 billion (bn). The hotels could be trading at values of about Rs 40 bn in 10 years, based on prevailing average daily rates, and the gross operating profit for the portfolio could be in the region of Rs 17-18 bn. The estimate underlines the financial scale the partners expect from an accelerated roll-out.

Radisson Hotel Group currently operates 139 properties in India with more than 80 projects in the pipeline, and the Brussels-headquartered chain has set a target of 500 properties by 2030. The model emphasises franchising and management to enable rapid market coverage with reduced capital intensity. Executives characterised the move as a strategic push to capture rising domestic demand and deliver a mix of lifestyle and luxury offerings across key markets.