Tamara Leisure Experiences (TLE) is looking beyond traditional hotel hubs as it plans to expand from nine properties to 40 by 2030. The hospitality group has an INR 600 crore pipeline in the works, with a 50:50 mix of owned and asset-light properties across resorts, wellness retreats, pilgrimage destinations and city hotels.
The expansion comes as travel preferences in India continue to spread across different kinds of experiences. TLE is looking at everything from wildlife and slow travel to Ayurveda, spiritual journeys, business stays and MICE.
Resorts That Stay Close To Their Setting
TLE's Tamara Resorts brand is expanding into newer destinations, including Kaziranga, where the group plans to bring its experiential luxury approach to one of Assam's best-known wildlife regions. The focus here is on making the destination part of the stay rather than simply offering a resort within it. The group is also expanding in the south with a 24-houseboat luxury resort in Alleppey, planned for 2026, and a 50-key farm resort in Hosur.
Wellness will be another part of the resort portfolio. Amal Tamara, the group's NABH-accredited Ayurveda hospital and retreat in Alleppey, will serve as the foundation for its wellness offering, with Ayurveda and restorative experiences also expected to feature across its resort portfolio.
According to TLE, India's wellness tourism market is projected to reach USD 116.3 billion by 2035, growing at 15.3 per cent annually.
A Bigger Focus On Pilgrimage Travel
One of the biggest areas of expansion will be faith-based hospitality. TLE's Rae by Tamara brand is focused specifically on travellers visiting pilgrimage destinations.
Rae by Tamara's owned properties in Guruvayoor and Kumbakonam are already operational, with an 80-key property planned in Velankanni. The brand is also expanding through asset-light properties in Tirupati, Tiruvannamalai and Palani.
The expansion will not be limited to the south. TLE plans to launch a 120-key Rae hotel in Bodh Gaya and is exploring destinations including Varanasi, Amritsar and Ajmer. The idea is to cater to a wider range of pilgrimage travellers, from senior visitors and families travelling together to younger travellers combining spiritual journeys with culture, food and wellness.
The Himalayas And New City Markets
TLE has also entered Kufri through its first asset-light signing under the Lilac brand. The move follows growing interest in Himalayan destinations for slower, landscape-led holidays.
In western India, the group is exploring Jaipur, Pune and Ahmedabad, where leisure, business travel, culture and affluent domestic tourism increasingly overlap.
The group is also looking at the growing MICE market, particularly conferences, incentive travel and destination weddings outside the major metros.
More Hotels For Business And Leisure
The O by Tamara and Lilac brands will play a larger role in TLE's expansion of city and business hotels. A 200-key O by Tamara is under development in Whitefield, Bengaluru, while a 125-key Lilac is planned alongside a 60-key property in Kannur.
A dedicated wedding and events venue has also come up in Madurai. Together, the two brands are targeting a potential presence across more than 100 Indian cities.
According to Samir MC, CEO of Tamara Leisure Experiences, the group's expansion is designed around the fact that Indian travellers are no longer travelling in just one way.
"Travellers want to belong to a place, not simply pass through it," he said, adding that TLE wants each property to retain its own character while technology and AI-led guest intelligence help the group understand travellers better.
For TLE, the next phase is therefore less about building hotels in the usual destinations and more about following where Indians are choosing to travel. From Kaziranga and the Himalayas to temple towns, Ayurveda retreats, and business hubs, the 40-property roadmap aims to build a portfolio that reflects the changing ways people travel across India.
(With inputs from various sources)
FAQs
1. How many properties does Tamara Leisure Experiences plan to have by 2030?
Tamara Leisure Experiences plans to grow from nine properties to 40 properties by 2030.
2. What is Tamara Leisure Experiences’ expansion pipeline?
The group has an INR 600 crore pipeline, with a 50:50 mix of owned and asset-light properties.
3. Which segments is Tamara Leisure Experiences expanding into?
Its expansion spans resorts, wellness retreats, pilgrimage hotels, city and business hotels, and MICE-focused properties.
4. Where is Tamara Leisure Experiences expanding its resort portfolio?
Planned developments include Kaziranga, a 24-houseboat luxury resort in Alleppey and a 50-key farm resort in Hosur.
5. Where is Rae by Tamara expanding?
Rae by Tamara already has operational properties in Guruvayoor and Kumbakonam. Planned and signed locations include Velankanni, Tirupati, Tiruvannamalai, Palani and Bodh Gaya, with Varanasi, Amritsar and Ajmer also being explored.
