Hotel tariffs across Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) have surged ahead of the BRICS Summit, with luxury rooms that typically cost around Rs 18,000 per night being quoted at Rs 80,000 or more. The summit is scheduled to take place in New Delhi from September 11 to 13, bringing delegations, diplomats, ministers and senior officials to the national capital.

The increase in room rates is not restricted to central Delhi, with hotels in Aerocity, Gurugram and Noida also reporting strong demand. Several properties have near-full or sold-out inventories, while industry sources expect elevated tariffs to continue until around September 20 as demand remains high around the summit period.

Rajan Sehgal, a member of the Public Relations Council of the Travel Agents Association of India, noted that major international events provide an opportunity to showcase India's hospitality and tourism sector. He pointed to the arrival of foreign dignitaries and large delegations as a key factor behind the increased demand, with visitors also expected to experience India's culture, cuisine, music and heritage during their stay.

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Sehgal described the sharp rise in tariffs as a temporary phase linked to limited room availability and the preference of senior officials and dignitaries for higher-category accommodation. Travel agents have been advising clients with non-essential travel plans to consider hotels outside central Delhi, where rooms can be available at significantly lower rates, with transportation arranged to the city.

Murlimani, chairman of the Delhi Hotel and Restaurant Owners Association, noted that hotels are preparing cultural activities and a range of regional cuisines for visiting delegations. He also indicated that budget properties could cater to additional visitors accompanying official delegations, helping distribute demand across different categories of accommodation.

Hotel industry representatives also highlighted the role of advance bookings and reserved inventories in driving up prices during major summits. With some rooms being kept available for dignitaries and official delegations, the supply of publicly available rooms becomes tighter. Hotel associations are expected to engage with properties to encourage more reasonable tariffs and direct additional visitors towards budget accommodation where possible.

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