In India, hotel operators invest and educate

Reuters interviewed industry leaders including Troca Global's Abhijit "Beej" Das, then with Hilton Worldwide.

By Helen Chernikoff and Abhishek Takle

June 16, 2011 / 4:43 PM EDT

Here's an snapshot:

"Some companies, like Hilton Worldwide and Wyndham Worldwide, maintain they are exporting their asset-light model to India despite others' insistence that it will not work there. Even Hilton acknowledges that expansion in India requires more investment in staffing and support to owners, said Abhijit Das, who directs development there for the company.

Hilton does not intend to actually invest in any of the Indian properties that carry its brands. But doing business in India still implies an unusual degree of commitment from foreign brands, Das said. "We have to do a lot more education in India," he said. "We have to walk the developers through international standards."

To read the full Reuters article, click here.