How Hilton India broke ice with young, experience-seeking travelers

With 19 hotels under its fold in India and 15 in the pipeline, Hilton has traditionally been seen as a business traveller's destination

Time was when fluttering multi-coloured flags and stars against the name were enough to draw customers into five-star hotels. Not anymore; in an age when local experiences and cuisines are the luxuries that travellers seek, hotel chains are being pushed to rethink the brand narrative to appeal to young vacationers.

At Hilton India, the task is doubly tough. It is not only looking to convince travellers that its luxurious exclusivity is not soulless. It also wants to shift the lens away from the common perception of Hilton being just a business hotel. The objective is to have a wider band of