Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels Limited has signed two hotel management agreements for the development of Zone Connect by The Park properties in Ayodhya and Ujjain, marking a strategic move into two of India’s most visited pilgrimage destinations as the company deepens its presence in the fast-growing religious tourism segment.
The dual signing was disclosed to BSE and NSE on Monday by Company Secretary and Compliance Officer Shalini Keshan.
Zone Connect by The Park, Ayodhya
The Ayodhya property will feature 56 well-appointed rooms and is positioned strategically close to the city’s key demand generators. It sits approximately 4.9 kilometres from the Ram Janmabhoomi and 6 kilometres from Maharishi Valmiki International Airport — a location that places it squarely in the catchment area of the religious tourists, pilgrims and VFR travellers who have made Ayodhya one of India’s fastest-growing hospitality markets since the consecration of the Ram temple in January 2024.
The hotel’s facilities will include Café C as an all-day dining restaurant, a rooftop restaurant, Plunge swimming pool, Vitalia gym and a banquet hall — a more complete amenity stack than typical budget pilgrim accommodation, designed to capture the premium pilgrim and leisure traveller segment rather than competing at the economy end of the market.
The property owner is Mr Vivek Jaiswal of M/s Hotel Saroj Sons, who said the partnership with ASPHL was driven by confidence in the brand’s operational expertise and its ability to create a compelling hospitality offering for Ayodhya’s growing visitor influx.
Zone Connect by The Park, Ujjain
The Ujjain property will be larger at 64 rooms and is located approximately 7 kilometres from Ujjain Railway Station and 8 kilometres from the Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga Temple — one of the twelve Jyotirlingas and a site of immense religious significance that draws millions of visitors annually, with footfalls accelerating significantly after the completion of the Mahakal Lok corridor development. The hotel will also offer convenient access to Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar Airport.
Facilities at the Ujjain property include Café C, Plunge swimming pool and fitness and wellness facilities. The property is being developed in partnership with Shubh Aagman Hotels LLP, whose partner Jyoti Saran Agarwal described the collaboration as reflecting a shared vision of delivering quality hospitality in one of India’s most important spiritual destinations.
The Pilgrimage Tourism Strategy
Vikas Ahluwalia, AVP and National Head of Zone by The Park Hotels, described the signings as an important step in strengthening ASPHL’s presence in the pilgrimage tourism segment as demand for quality hospitality infrastructure continues to grow in these cities. The Zone Connect by The Park brand — positioned as contemporary, design-led and mid-scale — is well suited to the pilgrim and devotional tourist segment, which has been moving steadily upmarket in its accommodation preferences as India’s pilgrim infrastructure has been upgraded.
Ayodhya and Ujjain sit on India’s most active pilgrimage circuits and have both seen significant government investment in tourism infrastructure in recent years. For ASPHL, the two signings add to a portfolio that already spans 39 hotels across five brands — The Park, The Park Collection, Zone by The Park, Zone Connect by The Park and Stop by Zone — and is backed by the Flurys retail F&B network of 105 outlets.
Disclaimer: This article is based on a company press release and regulatory filing and is for informational purposes only. It does not constitute investment advice.