"Spiritual tourism is already big," she said at Business Today's Most Powerful Women Conclave 2026 on Friday, adding that the focus would be on the mid-segment rather than the five-star segment. "We want to provide safe, comfortable and hygienic accommodation for such travellers," she said, noting that accommodation on such trips can otherwise be of poor quality.
Of the proposed addition of 1,000 rooms, 250 are planned at a new property in Ahmedabad being built on the banks of the Sabarmati river, while another 100 rooms are planned at a hotel in Chitrakoot as part of the group's foray into spiritual tourism. Another 75 rooms are planned at properties in Udaipur and Goa, she said.
The group is also exploring management contracts in locations such as Leh and Vrindavan, she added.
Of the proposed ₹600-crore investment, ₹500 crore will go towards these activities, while ₹100 crore will be allocated for the upkeep of existing rooms, she said.
Deeksha Suri, Executive Director of The LaLiT Suri Hospitality Group, also expressed optimism about the sector, saying there was no oversupply of rooms. "We can do with several lakh more rooms in the country. Demand is overpowering supply," she said.
In the domestic travel segment, she said there had been significant activity in the wedding segment, especially destination weddings, as the war in West Asia had led to considerable travel disruptions. There has also been a sharp rise in domestic individual travel, which she described as a game changer post-Covid.
"The Indian traveller is fearless, wants to spend and wants to create memories," Deeksha Suri said.
On the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the hospitality sector, both Jyotsna and Deeksha Suri said it would be limited. The two were speaking at a panel titled Two Generations, One Vision.
Jyotsna Suri, in fact, noted that while manufacturing and technology services were likely to be significantly disrupted by AI, the hospitality industry would continue to generate jobs in India.
"We are using AI, but ultimately, it is the attendant who will continue serving tea," she said.
Deeksha Suri also said that while the group was not averse to AI, certain services could not be replaced by it. AI tools were reducing some administrative and back-office work, but were not fundamentally disrupting the hospitality industry, she said.