Iranian president arrives in India for BRICS summit

September 2026 is proving to be a busy month for the hotel industry in key markets across India, driven by an increase in corporate travel and official government movements. According to Bhanu Chopra, founder and managing director of RateGain Travel Technologies, bookings through their platform surged 36% in numbers and 82% in value during the first eight days of the month compared to the same period in August.

Chopra noted that each booking was worth more than in August, and the shift towards larger, longer bookings is primarily due to conference and exhibition demand. Vinod Kumar Sah, cofounder and chief technology officer of CoTrav, a travel and hospitality management company for companies and events, reported a 20-30% increase in corporate events, MICE activities, and travel bookings from existing clients through September. New client activity has increased by 50%.

Occupancies at Ibis and Ibis Styles properties in India have risen by 8-10% during the first ten days of the month, with average daily rates up by 16-18% compared to the same period last year. Commercial head Animesh Kumar observed this trend in markets with a strong business and events calendar, including Mumbai, which is hosting the Global Fintech Fest 2026 from September 8 to 11, and Delhi, which is set to experience a similar surge due to Semicon India 2026 from September 17 to 19.

Online travel agency Cleartrip reported luxury hotel rates in Delhi climbing 59% year-on-year, while four-star properties saw rates spike by about 113%. Budget bookings in the national capital have increased by 138% compared to the same period last year. Bharatt Malik, senior VP of Yatra Online, attributed the demand to commercial expos and MICE events in Mumbai, where core hotels have seen a 5% increase in booking volumes.

Gajesh Girdhar, chairman of the Network of Indian MICE Agents, noted that overall MICE rates in India have risen by 10-15% year-on-year. He predicted that destinations such as Udaipur, Jaipur, Srinagar, Mumbai, Bhubaneshwar, and Goa would see an uptick in rates due to increased MICE demand. LaLiT New Delhi, for instance, expects to be sold out during the peak BRICS Summit period, but the impact is not confined to event dates.

General manager Vishal Sharma emphasized that September is expected to perform strongly in terms of occupancies and rates, driven by international business travel, government and corporate movement, and the overall event calendar in the city.