India’s leading luxury hotel group, ITC Hotels have announced that they’re set to launch six new hotels by 2018, including two resorts and its first property outside of India, in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Nakul Anand, executive director, ITC Hotels, outlined the ambitious growth plans for the group, which will see their portfolio grow from ten to 16 properties within the next four years, equating to approximately 5,000 rooms.

The first retreats in ITC Hotels’ collection will launch in late 2014, a new direction for the group, which currently focuses on luxury business hotels in India’s key cities and business hubs.

ITC Grand Bharat Golf Resort & Spa, is just 20 minutes from Delhi and will be home to the first Jack Nicklaus designed golf course in south Asia.

ITC Vilasa, located just 25 kilometres from south Chennai, will be a beach resort and spa, helping to establish the Mahabalipuram region as one of India’s newest resort destinations.

The group have also announced plans to expand outside of India for the first time with a property in Sri Lanka’s capital city of Colombo.

Due to open in 2018, ITC Colombo will have 300 rooms and is being built in conjunction with the Sri Lankan government.

Secondary properties in Kolkata and Hyderabad will open, both cities are ripe for secondary hotels as the group looks to capitalise on Hyderabad’s huge economic power and Kolkata’s positioning as the principal commercial, cultural, and educational centre of east India.

ITC Hotels will also expand further into India with the opening of ITC Ahmedabad in 2017.

Anand commented: “We’re currently in a very exciting period for ITC Hotels as we look to diversify our portfolio with two new resorts and fuel growth by opening our first property outside of India.

“We will, however, continue to focus on our core business of luxury business hotels in the economic and business hubs of India, further establishing our position as the number one group for business travellers.”