ITC has signed up the first property under the Welcomhotel brand in Bengal, expanding the company’s presence to eight properties.

The Welcomhotel property will come up at Kalimpong, making it the only second national hospitality chain to enter the Darjeeling hills.

The new 70-room property, to be positioned at the premium end, is expected to be operational by April 2027. The hotel is being developed by North Bengal-based BLG Group.

ITC has five operational properties in the state, including two under the luxury segment and three under the Fortune brand. Three more have been tied up.

Anil Chadha, divisional chief executive, ITC Hotels said: “With the upcoming property of Welcomhotel Kalimpong, ITC’s Hotel Group will have a strong presence across Bengal with 8 hotels across various segments. The Welcomhotel brand trajectory is growing fast across both business and leisure locations, and we are grateful for the trust that the owners have placed in the brand.”

Pravez Gupta, owner of BLG Hotel, said the property would target the conference category of travellers. “We want to position the property for destination weddings,” Gupta said.

“We see a lot of potential in the north Bengal market at the premium end if the infrastructure development keeps pace,” Gupta said.