In this paper we report the optical characterization of Ho3+-doped fluoroindate glasses with the following composition (40 − x)InF3–20SrF2–16BaF2–20ZnF2–2GdF3–2NaF–xHoF3 with x = 1.0, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, 6.0, 8.0 and 9.0 mol%. This investigation was done by means of absorption, fluorescence and lifetime measurements. The phenomenological intensity parameters Ωλ (λ = 2, 4, 6) were calculated using the standard Judd–Ofelt theory. In order to evaluate potential applications of the 5I7 → 5I8 Ho3+ emission at 2.0 µm, the radiative lifetime, total transition rate and emission cross section were determined. The effect of Ho3+ concentration on the fluorescence intensity and lifetimes was analysed. It was concluded that the non-radiative losses of the 5I7 level are mainly due to energy migration among Ho3+ ions followed by energy transfer to quenching impurities.