Delhi High Court Strengthens Kamat Hotels’ ‘The Orchid’ Trademark Protection, Directs OTAs to Remove 22 Listings
A Delhi High Court order directing major online travel agencies to remove, delist or block 22 hotel listings using names alleged to infringe Kamat Hotels (India) Limited’s registered ‘Orchid’ trademark has brought renewed attention to brand protection and property verification in India’s increasingly digital hospitality market.
The order covers hotels and hospitality establishments across multiple states, including Goa, Arunachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Jammu & Kashmir, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Assam, West Bengal, Kerala and Himachal Pradesh. The names cited in the proceedings include variations such as “The Orchid”, “Orchid Hotel”, “Orchid Inn”, “Hotel Orchid”, “Blue Orchid”, “River Orchid Resort” and “Golden Orchid”.
The order also brings into focus the role of online travel platforms in ensuring accurate hotel listings and clear brand affiliations for customers. For hospitality companies, this is increasingly relevant as digital platforms form an important channel for hotel discovery and bookings.
The Court has directed leading online travel platforms to take action against the listings identified in the proceedings. Several major OTAs have also voluntarily taken steps following notices from Kamat Hotels and indicated their willingness to strengthen precautionary measures and brand protection processes.
Vishal Kamat, Executive Director, Kamat Hotels (India) Limited, said, “The Delhi High Court’s order reinforces an important principle for the hospitality industry: customers should be able to clearly understand the identity and brand affiliation of the property they are booking. The Orchid has been built over three decades, and protecting the trademark is an important part of protecting the trust associated with the brand.
The cooperation from leading OTAs is equally important. As hotel discovery and bookings increasingly happen through digital platforms, stronger verification and brand protection mechanisms can help create greater transparency for both consumers and hotel companies. Wherever possible, we have also sought to resolve such matters amicably by giving property owners an opportunity to discontinue unauthorised use of the name.”
The development also has wider implications for the hospitality and online travel industry, where hotel discovery, comparison and bookings are increasingly mediated by digital platforms. For hotel companies, unauthorised use of established brand names can create challenges around brand equity, customer acquisition and reputation, while for OTAs, accurate property identification and verification are becoming increasingly important to maintaining consumer trust. The cooperation between hotel brands and online travel platforms therefore points towards a more structured approach to brand verification as the hospitality sector continues to expand its digital distribution.
