The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) is setting its sights on Switzerland and Southeast Asia for its next wave of international expansion, CEO Puneet Chhatwal revealed during the company’s earnings call on Tuesday.

Chhatwal named Bangkok, Bali, and Singapore as markets under close consideration. ‘It’s now long overdue that we get a hotel in Southeast Asia or we get a hotel in Switzerland,’ he said, according to Skift.

IHCL recently opened a 126-room property in Frankfurt. While the German city offers strong flight connections from Indian cities, Chhatwal was candid about its limitations. ‘Ideally, we would have started with Switzerland and not with Frankfurt,’ he noted. The Frankfurt hotel aims to capture Indian travelers en route to the U.S., hoping they might extend their stay for a few days. But, as Chhatwal put it, Frankfurt ‘is still not Switzerland.’

The CEO’s comments underscore a strategic pivot: rather than rushing into a costlier, lower-yield Swiss market, IHCL chose Frankfurt for quicker returns thanks to robust India connectivity. Now, with a foothold in Europe, the company is ready to target more aspirational destinations.

Southeast Asia, with its growing Indian tourist traffic and business ties, presents a natural next step. Bangkok, Bali, and Singapore are all major hubs with strong Indian diaspora and leisure demand. Switzerland, long a favorite among Indian travelers for its alpine scenery, remains a priority despite higher entry costs.

IHCL’s expansion reflects broader trends in Indian outbound travel and hospitality investment. As Indian carriers add more international routes, hotel chains are following their customers abroad. The company’s cautious, data-driven approach — prioritizing connectivity and yield — may serve as a model for other Indian hospitality groups eyeing global growth.

For now, travelers can expect IHCL’s distinctive blend of Indian hospitality to arrive in new corners of the world, from the beaches of Bali to the peaks of the Swiss Alps.