Why Do Indian-Americans Own So Many Hotels?

Indian-Americans run about 40% of America's hospitality industry – and 70% of those Indian-Americans have the last name “Patel.” While the name Patel has become synonymous with business, especially in the South Asian community, that reputation hasn't come easy, and hasn't always come with a lot of rewards.

Learn more here:

Music tracks courtesy of APM and Audio Network.

Presented by: Sana Saeed
Written by: Sana Saeed
Edited by: Brian Joseph
Animations by: Debbie Schedivy
Produced by: Sana Saeed

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[enoshyeluchuri]

I owe a great thanks to a Indian motel owner who allowed my mum and dad to stay over a month at their motel and didn't charge a penny because mum was going thru a cancer treatment. Very generous owner. He didn't even charge for the food. My mum and dad told this to us once they were back in India. Thank you very much.

[harshitabhuyan]

Most patels are huge business families even in India. I am from an Indian state called Assam, natives being the Assamese, here too people from Gujarat own big businesses. Gujaratis and Marwaris are business oriented communities. They know the art of making money.

[daisysalinas]

My next door neighbor had a hotel 2 miles away and a dry cleaners 3 miles away from where we live. And yes, his their last name is Patel.

[mpatel]

I cringe every time she says my last name.

[MondoBeno]

In order to run a cheap motel, you have to be able to be there 24 hours a day. It's a job that a lot of Americans don't want.

[TheGuyNobodyReallyLikes]

Indian doctors, professors, IT workers, motel owners, gas station owners, 7-Eleven workers, cab drivers in USA.

Indian corner store owners in UK.

Indian dairy shop owners, property owners, real estate agents, travel agents in New Zealand.

[madisonone]

In the UK - Patels owned all the corner stores. They replaced the Smiths. Now Patels lost interest in corner stores in U.K. Kids grown up & became doctors, business etc.

It's simply hard work - no substitute. Most Patels in US now own hotel franchises not motels.

[satanshameer]

Not just hotels, a hell lot of companies in Silicon Valley when compared to 2% population

[Galaxy-cufl]

They don't smoke pot all day, simple.

[sagarpatel]

Patel are very hard working people I am proud to be a part of Patel community

[DarkReapersGrim]

I actually went to school with Indians named Patel. We were all in like a multicultural UN group. Their fathers or uncles owned the hotels they lived in. We would often joke about it. I didn't know there was a historical point to this.

[ruralglamour]

I stayed in a "Potel" this weekend because I saw the last Patel as an owner on the elevator inspection. The service and stay was great.

[shubhampreetsingh]

Well gujarati people are really good buisnessman

[amapparatistkwabena]

A couple of years ago, a buddy of mine and I took cross country trip from California to New York and back. Over the 4 week trip, I'd say a clear 80% of the motels we stayed in were owned by Indians. They slept in their motels and were very kind to wake up so late and give us a room on the evenings that we decided to grab a room at a late hour. Great segment!

[Convex.]

I'm a Patel. My parents own a hotel.

[funny-video-YouTube-channel]

*Indian Hotels and Chinese restaurants :-)*
Let's add Korean spa and Native American Casinos to that, and we got a good mix of biases :-)

[TheFindingLight]

I'm literally friends with a woman since we were in elementary school who is a Patel and her family owned a Ramada hotel in my city in Canada (they've since moved to the US).

[himanshuarora]

Walk into a potel and shout out loud
"BANIYE"

[waverunner]

This is bizarre. Some years ago I was in Minnesota and I struck a small conversation with an Indian who later told me he ran a hotel on the state border somewhere and I thought it was really random an Indian owned a hotel in a rural area. I guess this video explains it.

[AtlantisChannel]

I'm watching this video from an Indian-owned motel...in rural California.