La Vie Hotels and Resorts has hinted at plans to introduce a new resorts brand later this year to capitalise on rising demand from travellers.
La Vie Hotels and Resorts CEO, Jerry Xu, said the first property will be introduced in an iconic resort destination.
“Particularly as people look to indulge and spend quality time with friends and loved ones following the recent lockdowns, we see great potential for growth in resort destinations,” said Xu.
“So much so, we are currently developing our very own brand that will launch in one of the world’s most iconic resort destinations later this year.”
The move comes as La Vie doubles down on its franchise model in the Asia Pacific market.
In the last four months, La Vie signed agreements with Radisson in Sri Lanka, Choice Hotels in Phuket and Accor in Australia. In October 2021, the group also signed an agreement with IHG to badge its Bondi Junction property under its Holiday Inn and Suites brand.
La Vie Hotels and Resorts Managing Director, Craig Bond, said the group sees great opportunity in this model.
“We are the first Australian headquartered company that has sought to champion the franchise model in Australia,” Bond said.
“In Europe and America, franchise hotels make up approximately 80% of the hotel pool. In Australia and Southeast Asia the franchise model isn’t as prevalent.
“We see an opportunity in the market to capitalise on this and partner with owners to find the right brand for the right location and work in conjunction with owners to get the most out of their assets and drive performance from the brand’s loyalty, distribution networks and global reach.”
In May, La Vie announced that it has secured to manage the design-led YOO brand in Australia, with the first property set to open in Melbourne in 2025. The company has flagged more announcements regarding this brand over the coming months.
Xu highlighted the benefits of working with owners to procure franchise agreements with major hotel brands.
“We see great synergies working with the big hotel brands and value the global distribution the brands bring, though a lot of the time, we find owners are left wanting,” he said.
“We cross that threshold and work alongside owners and their teams to optimise performance across all facets of the hotel business.”
Xu praised La Vie’s international team who are supporting the company’s growth.
“We have an incredibly strong team in Australia and our regional offices in Bangkok, Singapore and Dubai supports our growth across the various regions,” he said.
“Our portfolio represents a collection of diverse properties: business hotels in bustling CBDs, family resorts in popular tourism destinations and boutique art hotels in sought – after neighbourhoods.
“As we continue to see great traction outside the traditional hotel business model, we will keep pushing the boundaries to deliver the best possible returns for owners and work with our teams to deliver memorable guest experiences.”