Wyndham partners with Ovolo in APAC

SINGAPORE — Bolt-on brand affiliations continue to be all the rage with news breaking on Tuesday that Wyndham Hotels & Resorts and Hong Kong-based Ovolo Group have announced a strategic partnership that will see five Ovolo hotels across Australia and Hong Kong join the Wyndham hotel network brand later this fall.

Under the deal, Ovolo Group will continue to own and manage the brand that will add “a Wyndham Hotel” sub-branding while exclusively working with Wyndham on franchise development opportunities throughout Asia Pacific.

As part of the partnership, five existing Ovolo hotels – representing more than 450 rooms in Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, and Hong Kong – will be integrated into Wyndham’s sales, marketing and distribution platforms, extending their reach while creating new commercial opportunities.

When asked to comment on the deal, Eric Levy, managing director of TSI consultancy in Singapore said, “I have been impressed with Ovolo’s concepts, branding, visionary leadership and F&B acumen for years… and have been optimistic that they would be able to make the transition as a brand to an asset light strategy.”

Levy referenced Ovolo’s affiliation with Small Luxury Hotels and added, “As an observer of the industry, it appears this move is more about accelerating growth by attaching itself to the development resources of Wyndham and it will be interesting to see how this plays out. Not being aware of the details of the Wyndham arrangement, it does raise questions as to what happens to those recently consummated relationships that involve the world’s leading hotel companies.”

According to Joon Aun Oiu, president of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts Asia Pacific, “This partnership marks a significant milestone for Wyndham, further expanding our upscale presence in the Asia Pacific region by combining Ovolo’s strengths in the lifestyle segment with our extensive global network. The future of travel isn’t about sameness, it’s about spaces with soul, brands with a point of view and experiences that don’t blur into the background.”

Shivang Jhunjhnuwala, chief of staff, Ovolo Group, added, “Through our partnership with Wyndham, we’re flipping the script to unlock bold new growth opportunities by franchising a lifestyle brand without diluting its DNA. Wyndham is a global leader in hotel franchising, with the scale, infrastructure, and expertise to help us grow with intention and impact. Just as importantly, Ovolo brings something different, an edge and energy that complements Wyndham’s presence in the upscale lifestyle market.”

The collaboration comes amid booming consumer demand for experiential travel, valued by McKinsey as a $1 trillion opportunity globally, driven largely by younger travelers, including Gen Z.