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Hospitality Net
09-06-2025
- Business
- Hospitality Net
Stellar Speaker Line Up and Sessions Unveiled for Branded Residences Forum Asia 2025
The Branded Residences Forum Asia 2025, set to take place on 25 June at The Athenee Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel in Bangkok, has unveiled its programme for what will be an action-packed day of strategic networking, high-level discussions, and exclusive market insights to help shape the future of this dynamic sector in the hospitality industry. The event, organised by The Bench in collaboration with C9 Hotelworks in response to the unprecedented growth in branded residences, will bring together the world's most influential hospitality brands, real estate developers, investors, and industry experts. After the overwhelming success of the inaugural Branded Residences Forum launched during FHS World in Dubai last year, and now an annual event in its own right, we are very excited for this booming sector to take centre stage in Thailand with the first edition of the Branded Residences Forum Asia. We look forward to providing a platform for leaders in this sector to come together to explore new opportunities, forge meaningful partnerships and shape the future of branded residences. Jonathan Worsley, Chairman & CEO of The Bench The day will kick off with 'A Founder's Perspective on the Evolution of Branded Residences' with insights from Ho Kwon Ping, Founder and Executive Chairman, Banyan Group, in conversation with David Johnson, Chief Executive Officer, Delivering Asia, discussing growth, challenges, and the future of the industry. Jeff Tisdall, Chief Business Officer, Accor OneLiving, will deliver a TenX Leadership Talk on the state of the industry, which is followed by the 'Global Branded Residences Market Update' with Bill Barnett, Managing Director, C9 Hotelworks, and Riyan Itani, Founder & Director, Global Branded Residences. Asia Pacific's branded residence sector is coming of age. It's an exciting and vibrant time for the industry, though each country has it's own storyline and dynamics. This event will be an opportunity to put the pieces together as the surge in branded residences are maturing in it's own real estate asset class. Bill Barnett, Managing Director, C9 Hotelworks The programme continues with a series of panel discussions covering the industry's hottest topics. These include a session on hospitality groups' branded residences strategies featuring speakers from some of the world's leading brands including IHG Hotels & Resorts, Marriott International, Four Seasons and Rosewood Hotel Group; the role of design in elevating branded residences; financial and legal frameworks behind contracting for branded residences; creating loyalty beyond stay, as well as a look beyond hospitality with a panel discussion on how fashion, food and automotive brands are shaping branded residences. In addition, Richard Stevens, Group CEO, Sectorlight, will be moderating the session titled 'Selling Branded Residences – Cognitive Marketing and the Power of Brand Essence' in conversation with Lindsay McGinn, Global Vice President Residential Marketing, Accor, and Jenny Naylor, Managing Director Advisory, Brand Atlas . With global demand at an all-time high and Asia emerging as the fastest-growing market, the programme will have a spotlight on regional markets including Vietnam, moderated by Catherine Edwards, Chief Growth Officer, QUO with representatives from Savills Hotels Asia Pacific, Indochina Capital Corporation and The Ascott Limited, and Japan, moderated by Eric Levy, Managing Director, Tourism Solutions International with panelists from GOYOH, C9 Hotelworks, and List Development Co. In additon, Omar Romero, Chief Development & Luxury Officer, Minor Hotel Group Limited, and Riyan Itani, Director & Founder, Global Branded Residences, will have a conversation about what luxury means in Asia from a branded residences perspective. The event will conclude with a VIP networking reception at Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel, hosted by Minor Hotels. For more information and to register, please visit About The Bench The Bench has built a legacy as a global curator of opportunity, designing transformative forums and summits that empower the hospitality and travel industries to connect, innovate, and thrive. With over two decades of expertise, The Bench creates platforms that go beyond transactions to inspire collaboration and drive meaningful change. Each event brings together government leaders, tourism ministries, global travel associations, leading hospitality brands, hotel owners and investors, airlines, destination developers, and more. From flagship gatherings like FHS World (formerly AHIC) and FHS Saudi Arabia, to FHS Africa (formerly AHIF) and AviaDev, The Bench creates events where ideas spark, relationships deepen, and investments take flight. The Bench thrives on fostering dynamic and forward-looking dialogues, uniting industry pioneers to address challenges, seize opportunities, and co-create the future. Each event is crafted to deliver more than just connections - it's about transforming ideas into action and building a better tomorrow. Anne Bleeker In2 Consulting +971 56 603 0886 The Bench
Arabian Post
06-05-2025
- Business
- Arabian Post
Asian hospitality brands giving Western hotel chains run for their money
By Saifur Rahman When Ho Kwon Ping, a young Stanford drop-out, saw an abandoned tin mine in Thailand's Bang Tao Bay in Laguna Phuket area in 1984, he didn't know what to do with it as the land that was dimmed 'useless' by its former occupiers. It was a patch of a waste land with no activities then. In his Stanford days, he was a firebrand social activist. He was thrown out the university for protesting along with Black Student Union against a Nobel Laureate who had very negative views on the Black community. Ho Kwon Ping was then 32 in 1984 when he along his wife Claire Chiang visited the abandoned tin mine in the place on the Bang Tao Bay that is now popularly known as Laguna Phuket, wondering around the place. The only plus point was its location – next to a patch of a pristine beach on the Andaman Sea, part of the Indian Ocean. Although unsure what to do, he nevertheless decided to buy the entire patch of land that currently measures up to 1,000 acres, perhaps at a throwaway price. Undecided about its future, he then decided to plant trees on the abandoned tin mine and left it there for a good decade. Ten years later, the landscape had changed and turned into a green oasis. Ho Kwon Ping then decided to start a resort project and aptly named it Banyan Tree. Instead of hotel rooms that generate rent per square metre per night, he developed a line-up of luxury villas with private swimming pool, separate bath tub in the open while having separate shower rooms – something that was unheard of – at least till then. This is how Banyan Tree was established in 1994 as a premium resort in the Laguna Beach area of Phuket province in Thailand. It was the first resort to introduce the private pool villa concept in the hospitality industry. Through Banyan Tree, Ho Kwon Ping had re-designed and perhaps re-invented the leisure tourism industry long dominated by the global hospitality chains developed by the Western world. Banyan Tree Laguna consists of 218 villas that commands US$500 average daily rate (ADR) with 78 per cent average occupancy throughout the year. Since then, Banyan Tree remained the flagship development of the group's business with more than 10 hospitality brands evolving across the world in the last three decades with about 100 hotels and resorts currently under the management of the group that has recently been rebranded as Banyan Group. 'Over the years, our pioneering spirit has driven us to define and refine our design-led experiences. Meanwhile, our multi-branded approach has allowed us to enter new markets, catering to diverse guest segments while consistently delivering on our core pillars of sustainability and wellbeing,' Ho Kwon Ping, Founder and Chairman of Banyan Group, says 'Re-introducing ourselves as Banyan Group in 2024, we embraced the diversity of our portfolio and our multi-brand identity, planting seeds for progress in the years to come. 'In 2024, we opened a record 17 new hotels, including our first Banyan Tree in Japan, Banyan Tree Higashiyama Kyoto. We now operate eight hotels across five brands in Japan and are expecting more multi-brand openings in the pipeline. 'In China, we continued to maintain a strong pipeline, innovating to capture the rebounding domestic market. By establishing multi-brand complexes like Banyan Tree and Garrya Yangcheng Lake in Suzhou, and Banyan Tree and Angsana Tengchong in Yunnan, we are catering to a range of travellers seeking varied experiences within a single destination. 'We also signed new agreements to launch branded residences in Madrid and Dubai. This enables us to leverage branded residences as a significant driver of growth and market expansion, broaden our customer base, unlock additional revenue streams, and build brand equity for Banyan Group within untapped market segments.' Banyan Group is the first Thailand property developer listed on the stock exchange of Thailand and Singapore. The group's overall revenue increased by 16 per cent year on year to S$380.6 million (US$295.24 million), with Residences setting yet another new record of S$328.8 million (US$255.05 million) in new sales. Core operating profit also increased to S$69 million (US$53.52 million), up 43 per cent compared to 2023. Stuart Reading, Managing Director of Banyan Group Residences, says, 'Banyan Tree resort is part of a greater vision by our founder Mr Ho Kwon Ping, to transform not only the 1,000 acquired land on the Laguna Phuket beach area, but to change the face of the global hospitality business with new ideas emerging from oriental Thai hospitality.. 'With success, he continued to build hotels and resorts and went on to add more through management contracts and franchisee agreements. Today, with around 100 hotels and resorts operated by 12 hospitality brands, 66 spas and three golf courses across 25 countries in the world, Banyan Group has definitely made its mark in the global tourism industry.' Ho Kwon Ping went on launch Angsana Hotels and Resorts – another fine example of Thai hospitality. Banyan Group's hotels globally operate under different brands – Banyan Tree, Angsana, Laguna, Cassia, Dhawa, Garrya, Homm, Baynan Tree Escape, Banyan Tree Veya, and Folio. This makes Banyan Group one of the most versatile hospitality group's in the world offering a wide array of hospitality solutions – especially the contemporary Thai spas that brings the ancient healing and wellbeing concepts to the tourists in the most effective manner. Ho Kwon Ping says, 'With the increased focus on our core pillars of wellbeing and sustainability, we are ramping up efforts to weave our wellbeing philosophy into the guest experience as well as our associates' experience.' Tourism has been a great contributor to Thai economy with 60,000 registered hotels including 1,130 five-star hotels and resorts with 700,000 hotel rooms serving more than 35 million tourists annually. There are around 12,000 hotel rooms under construction in Phuket province alone. Last year, 35.6 million tourists visited Thailand, generating 1.8 trillion Thai Baht or US$55.11 billion that directly contributed to the Southeast Asian country's US$526 billion GDP, representing 10.47 per cent of its economy. Thailand is the second largest economy in Southeast Asia, with a population of 72 million people. 'This year, the projection for the tourism industry is, 40 million international arrivals,' Stuart Reading, an Australian national who has been serving Banyan Group for the last two decades, says. 'Phuket, with a population of 500,000 residents remains the second most visited city in Thailand with 9.89 million international tourists, second only to Bangkok that catered to 22.78 million tourists last year. 'Tourism represents more than 50 per cent of Phuket's GDP while real estate represents between 5 to 10 per cent. Our hotel industry has a capacity of 45,000 guest rooms and the airport's annual passenger handling capacity is around 18 million passengers per year. The airport connects Phuket to 80 cities with direct flights. ' Global tourism industry historically has long been dominated by the popular Western hotel chains, such as Sheraton, Hilton, Marriott, Hotel Inter-Continental, Le Meridien, Hyatt, Ritz-Carlton, etc. They still dominate, although the Asians and Arabs have also started to develop international hospitality chains since the 1980s. The hotel and resort industry market size reached US$1.5 trillion worldwide in 2023, still dominated by the Western brands. Like Banyan Group in Thailand, Dusit Thani, Anantara Hotels and Resorts, Shangri La Hotels, Taj Hotels and Oberoi Hotels in India, Jumeirah Group, Address Hotels and Resorts in Dubai, Rotana Hotels and Resorts in Abu Dhabi are some of the Asian hospitality chains that have been giving the Western hotel chains a run for their money. The global hotel industry is dominated by major hospitality groups that continue to expand aggressively. The fastest-growing segments include luxury, extended stay, and lifestyle brands, while emerging markets like Asia-Pacific and the Middle East are key areas for future development. Three of the world's top ten hotel management groups belong to China, while the United States lead the overall industry. Jin Jiang International that operates Golden Tulip, Radisson Blu and Park Plaza brands, is the world's largest hotel chain by the number of properties, with nearly 12,000 hotels worldwide. Based in Shanghai, this state-owned hospitality giant has a significant presence in China, while also expanding into Europe, the Americas, and Asia. Through acquisitions like Louvre Hotels Group and Radisson Hotel Group, Jin Jiang strengthened its international portfolio. Banyan Group operates a hotel in Saudi Arabia's new tourism hotspot Al Ula region and one in Dubai. It has recently opened fully-functional sales operation in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, to sell its luxury Phuket properties to the investors in the Middle East who could benefit from 4-6 per cent annual returns and while avail free stay in their units for a period between 1-2 months a year. Banyan Group expects to release US$1 billion worth of new luxury residential real estate in Thailand's Phuket over the next two to three years, as demand for quality homes on the island remains high. Over the next 5-10 years this could extend to US$4.5 billion or more. The sales team executives have been deployed in both the UAE and Saudi Arabia, amid a surge of international interest in luxury real estate in Phuket from all over the world. 'The initial response has been encouraging, and we've already had quite a few investors come over to view our properties,' Stuart Reading says. 'Since there's been a noticeable increase in visitors to Phuket from the Middle East region in the past couple of years, attracted by the agreeable climate, the high-quality lifestyle, safety, and the welcoming international nature of the community, we thought the time was right now to start developing the market.' Last year, Banyan Tree Group rebranded to Banyan Group to reflect the fact that the Group now has 12 global brands of which Banyan Tree is the flagship. Banyan Group has also been an important driving force in the development of Phuket first as a tourism destination, and more recently as a place for second homes. Set against the stunning backdrop of the Andaman Sea, on a 5 kilometre stretch of Bang Tao's pristine beach, Laguna Phuket has evolved to become Asia's leading integrated resort, home to seven world-class hotels, premium facilities as well as now some 3,000 branded residences, many on or close to the beach. Spanning over 1,000 acres of lush parkland and located just a 30-minute drive from Phuket International Airport, Laguna Phuket has an award-winning 18-hole golf course, luxury spas, exceptional dining options, and countless activities to create unforgettable experiences. Its hotels and condos are set against picturesque lagoons and are interconnected by boats. Up to 2024, a total of around 3,000 residential units have been built in Laguna Phuket, with another 700 now under development. A further 10,000 units are eventually envisaged for Laguna Phuket and Laguna Lakelands over the next 5-10 years. Banyan Group expects to release another 5,000 residential units for sale over the next 3-4 years at Laguna Phuket and the neighbouring Laguna Lakelands, a pioneering eco-friendly residential community set in one square kilometre of lush tropical forests and lakes adjacent to Laguna Phuket, which was launched last year. Laguna Lakelands will eventually be Phuket's largest dedicated residential community. Also published on Medium. Notice an issue? Arabian Post strives to deliver the most accurate and reliable information to its readers. If you believe you have identified an error or inconsistency in this article, please don't hesitate to contact our editorial team at editor[at]thearabianpost[dot]com. We are committed to promptly addressing any concerns and ensuring the highest level of journalistic integrity.
The National
10-04-2025
- Business
- The National
Three decades of preserving Maldivian paradise at Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru
In 1993, Ho Kwon Ping was on a trip to the Maldives. The former journalist was on a mission, having turned his hand to hospitality and transformed a disused bay in Thailand into the first Banyan Tree resort, he wanted the hotel brand's second property to be in the Indian Ocean archipelago. At a small island, 30 minutes from Male, PK (as he's known to his friends) toured a forest-topped islet in the North Male Atoll. Home to a small guest house, there was not much else on the island, not least electricity or running water. 'Still, he knew that this was the one,' Mohamed Naeem, deputy general manager at Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru tells me as we sit on the terrace of Madi Hiyaa, the resort's manta-shaped overwater restaurant, enjoying uninterrupted ocean views. Naeem has been part of the resort since its inception. Born and brought up in the Maldives, the former teacher-turned-hotelier relocated to the tiny island before it officially became Banyan Tree. As one of the first international resorts to open in the Maldives, the Singaporean hotel brand brought a lot of changes to the industry across the Indian Ocean island nation. 'I remember once in the early days, I went to a meeting with the leadership team. I was the only Maldivian in the room. Not only that, but I was the only Asian in the room. I couldn't quite believe the proposals these men were making,' recalls Naeem. 'Workers were to get one month off after every three months of working and a flight home every few months, and more. I wrote it all down, but in my head, I was thinking this will never happen.' But happen it did as Banyan Tree brought international hotelier standards to what was then a tourism industry very much in its infancy. Three decades on and more than a million visitors now flock annually to the Maldives. While this rapid tourism development has brought economic benefits to the archipelago, it has not come without cost. Coastal areas and marine ecosystems face degradation, often due to waste from densely populated resort islands. At Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru, a commitment to preserving the natural environment is evident. As the first resort in the Maldives to establish an on-site marine laboratory, conservation and education have been core components of the story for many years. 'We're doing all sorts of conservation with the guests. It is included in the stay price as it's not something that Banyan Tree wants guests to have to pay extra for,' head marine biologist Nick tells me while I glue a piece of coral onto a concrete marine cookie. The activity is the newest conservation focused project to launch at the resort, aiming to let guests be part of the efforts to help resort the island's surrounding corals. Travellers are welcome to visit the newly launched purpose-built marine lab where a colourful classroom setup is adorned with accurate fish representations of the sea life found in the nearby ocean. Glowing fish tanks filled with planted corals line one side of the lab, which has an overhead gallery where visitors can partake in educational discussions and conservation lessons. A new coral spawning programme is under development, a pioneering method that could repopulate the hotel's house reef in just a few years, much faster than using conventional conservation methods, explains Nick. Of course, more traditional conservation methods remain, and I get the chance to see some in action the next day while scuba diving. About 15 metres below the surface of the Indian Ocean, surrounded by colourful parrot fish-tailed trigger fish, my dive buddy and I pass a metal cage-like structure covered in corals. These synthetic electric reefs emit low-level electric currents, which trigger a process that deposits calcium carbonate onto the structure, essentially providing a growth boost for the corals. "When planted on these reefs, corals are not only safer from predators," explains Henry, the resort's assistant marine biologist, "but they also grow significantly faster." Conservation efforts extend beyond the water at Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru. Guest rooms utilise refillable toiletry bottles and glass water bottles, eliminating single-use plastics. As one of the region's pioneering holiday islands, Banyan Tree also balances its long-standing hospitality with updates. Villa renovations include modern amenities like USB charging ports, new artwork and upgraded balcony furniture. The resort maintains a rustic and natural atmosphere, intentionally avoiding overwater villas and constructing buildings around existing topiary. "The owners made a choice to prioritise unobstructed ocean views and to preserve the natural environment wherever possible,' explains Naeem. This choice puts the natural beauty of the island first, although it does result in some unique villa layouts including irregular-shaped bathrooms and swimming pools located in the rear of the villas, far away from the million-dollar ocean views. Walking around the sand-covered island takes all of six minutes – I time it as I go. While that is a drop in the ocean compared to many newer resorts in this popular holiday destination, these 48,000 square metres represent three decades of hospitality and a foundational approach to preserving nature alongside the Maldives modern tourism development.
