INDIA The Rajasthan High Court has barred Hilton Worldwide from using the Hilton name on its hotels in India, declaring that it infringes on the trade name of local Hotel Hilltone.
Justice Gopal Krishan Vyas on Wednesday upheld decisions from April and June by lower courts to restrain Hilton from using its name in the country. “The local Hilltone Hotel is pursuing their business under the registration which is made prior to the registration of the international group Hilton here,” the judge says.
Hilltone, which was founded in 1973, petitioned the court that its more famous rival is attempting to “misuse” its brand and trade name in India and that it would adversely affect Hilltone’s business.
Hilton is barred from using any kind of “misleading logo and mark” that has the potential to cause confusion among the public and directed it not to participate in the hospitality industry under “such duplicate trademark,” The Times of India reports.
Hotel Hilltone is an upscale 68-key property located in Mount Abu, a rural region in eastern India.
It is unclear what will happen to Hilton’s three properties in India, or whether the decision will impact Hilton’s joint venture with DLF to open as many as 75 more hotels in the country.
A U.S.-based Hilton spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment from HOTELS.