Pioneering hotel owner and operator Red Planet Hotels recently announced a multi-billion yen expansion into Japan to grow Asia’s iconic value hotel brand -Tune Hotels – in the country.
Through Red Planet Hotels’ newly established and JASDAQ – listed subsidiary – Red Planet Japan Inc., the company will make an initial JPY10 billion (USD100 million) investment over the next six years, establishing a platform to grow the Tune Hotels network in north Asia.
Big in Japan: That’s the plan for Red Planet CEO and Red Planet Japan Director Tim Hansing.
From its Tokyo headquarters, Red Planet Japan will implement its pledge to open 20 hotels by 2020 for which a number of sites have already been confirmed in and around Tokyo and other major Japanese cities. Red Planet Japan’s first hotel under the Tune Hotels flag opened in Naha, Okinawa last year.
The investment further cements Red Planet Hotels – the largest franchisee and the second largest shareholder (17%) of the Tune Hotels brand – as the major vehicle to grow the marquee value hotel brand across Asia.
Red Planet Hotels Chief Executive Officer and Red Planet Japan Director, Tim Hansing, said the investment in Japan highlighted the company’s commitment to delivering key promises to shareholders of methodical, meticulously planned and sustained expansion.
He added recent announcements by the Japanese government to promote inbound tourism and infrastructure investment in the country was a positive step forward for new hotel brands to enter the market.
“Now that we have established ourselves and the Tune Hotels brand in Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines, our strategy has always been to expand in north Asia and we will be commencing this move in Japan first of all,” Mr Hansing said.
“We have been investigating a number of opportunities in Japan for some time and with the government actively courting inbound travel and tourism investment, now is the perfect time for Red Planet Japan to work closely with our partners at Tune Hotels to bring the brand that has been so well accepted in nine other countries to Japan.
“We are already open in Naha on Okinawa and very soon we will have a network in key locations across Japan. We have made a significant investment already to fund our expansion in Japan and are fully committed to bringing a well-established international hotel brand to the country’s travel and tourism landscape.
“Our vision to have 20 hotels in Japan by 2020 is crystal clear as the year will be a significant milestone for the country when it hosts the thirty-second Summer Olympics.”
Mr Hansing added that Red Planet Hotels is actively exploring expansion into other north Asian countries, including South Korea and Taiwan.
As of January 16, 2014, Red Planet Hotels is the sole owner and operator of 18 Tune Hotels with 2,789 rooms across Japan, Thailand, the Philippines and Indonesia and it has a further 12 hotels under construction in those countries.
Red Planet Hotels also has an ownership interest in a further 11 operational Tune Hotels through its investment in Tune Hotels Limited.
The launch of Red Planet Japan is expected to significantly grow this portfolio in the coming years through its goal of 20 hotels by 2020 in the country.
Established in 2007, there are 38 Tune Hotels operating 6,056 rooms globally in nine countries with Malaysia, England, Scotland, Australia and India being the other territories where the brand is operating.
With a JPY10 billion war-chest Tune Hotels is set to expand in Japan, with 20 hotels by 2020.
