Delhi High Court restrains Goa hotel from using Holiday Inn trademark

The Delhi High Court has issued an ex-parte interim order restraining a hotel in Goa from using the ‘Holiday Inn’ trademark. The ruling follows a trademark infringement suit filed by Six Continents Hotels, Inc, a subsidiary of the American hospitality conglomerate InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG).

Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani restrained Jerome Fernandes from using the marks ‘Hotel Jerome's Holiday Inn’ and ‘Holiday Inn’. The court further directed the removal of hotel advertisements and listings from various travel websites, including TripAdvisor, MakeMyTrip, Goibibo, and Trivago.

Six Continents Hotels argued that the ‘Holiday Inn’ mark has been registered since 1964 and is a well-known trademark in India. The court found that a prima facie case was established, noting that the balance of convenience favored the plaintiff and that failure to grant the injunction could result in irreparable loss and injury.