NEW DELHI: London-based upscale hotel group Yotel is planning to foray into the Indian market. Yotel CEO Hubert Viriot told TOI the group is in talks with operators of “at least some of the busiest” airports in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad. The group is planning to be present both at the city centre and the airport of the city it decides to be in here.
“We have 32 opened and signed hotels in places like North America, Europe, UK and the Far East. The two big markets we are not present in are China and India. The focus is right now on India due to the fast-growing tourism market here,” Viriot said.
Without hazarding a guess regarding the number of Yotel he would like to see in India in the next few years, he said: “India has very strong local players but the penetration of international (hospitality) brands is low. New products like ours will get acceptability here. We are talking to airport operators. Ideally, we would like to be present at the airport and the centre of the same cities. ,” he said.
Yotel also operates on the asset light model like management contracts. “We support our partners in growing the business with our model of hotels that has a 24×7 lounge, bar, chillout zone and health and fitness centres. We don’t have multiple restaurants but connect our guests with the local community in terms of speciality eateries and other attractions,” he said.
Yotel has three distinct brands — Yotel, YotelAir and YotelPad. The first two brands are likely to make it to India soon. Viriot joined Yotel in May 2014 to roll out an aggressive growth strategy and the group has since grown from four properties to 32 opened and signed hotels representing over 7000 keys globally. In 2017 Hubert brokered a $250 million strategic partnership with Starwood Capital Group to fuel expansion and international growth. He is currently leading the company towards its goal to have 50 Yotels opened and signed by 2025.
“We have 32 opened and signed hotels in places like North America, Europe, UK and the Far East. The two big markets we are not present in are China and India. The focus is right now on India due to the fast-growing tourism market here,” Viriot said.
Without hazarding a guess regarding the number of Yotel he would like to see in India in the next few years, he said: “India has very strong local players but the penetration of international (hospitality) brands is low. New products like ours will get acceptability here. We are talking to airport operators. Ideally, we would like to be present at the airport and the centre of the same cities. ,” he said.
Yotel also operates on the asset light model like management contracts. “We support our partners in growing the business with our model of hotels that has a 24×7 lounge, bar, chillout zone and health and fitness centres. We don’t have multiple restaurants but connect our guests with the local community in terms of speciality eateries and other attractions,” he said.
Yotel has three distinct brands — Yotel, YotelAir and YotelPad. The first two brands are likely to make it to India soon. Viriot joined Yotel in May 2014 to roll out an aggressive growth strategy and the group has since grown from four properties to 32 opened and signed hotels representing over 7000 keys globally. In 2017 Hubert brokered a $250 million strategic partnership with Starwood Capital Group to fuel expansion and international growth. He is currently leading the company towards its goal to have 50 Yotels opened and signed by 2025.