Page 74 - MASALA Magazine Vol.15 Issue 5 | June - July 2024

What is your overarching vision for ONYX Hospitality Group in
the next five years, and how do you plan to achieve it?
ONYX Hospitality Group has been around for quite some time.
We started from a small hotel group in Pattaya, and then moved to
Bangkok, then Chiang Mai, and Phuket. As a hospitality player in
Thailand, we’ve been developing and owning hotels and resorts for
more than 50 years, but in the past 20 years, I took the initiative to
really set up ONYX Hospitality Group, to make sure that we don’t
run just one brand. I knew it was not sustainable to have just one
brand and one segment, and we needed to expand and diversify.
We’ve expanded to upper-upscale and even luxury developments,
mixed-use developments, serviced apartments, and mixed-scale hotels.

In this industry, and especially in Southeast Asia, it’s important to
diversify because the market is so big – there are multiple segments
and regional travellers, so you have to have multiple brands to attract
them. Our vision for ONYX Hospitality Group is to be the best
medium-sized hospitality management company in Southeast Asia.
It’s a big commitment, but I think we’re on track to get there. As
of 2024, by year’s end, we’ll have a total of almost 46 properties in
several countries: in Thailand, Malaysia, Hong Kong, China, Laos,
Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. We aim to manage over 50 properties by
2025 and reach 70 locations by 2028.

How is ONYX Hospitality Group adapting to current trends and We tailored approaches to our
innovations in the hospitality industry to stay competitive and
relevant? guests for each brand, to ensure

I don’t know if the word ‘adapt’ is relevant. It’s about changing more that every single property has its
than adapting. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, our operations were
quite heavy, with a big team in multiple countries. The pandemic own USP
forced us to relook at how we operate; to become more agile and
nimble. In the past, I wasn’t very involved in operations. I was on the
board; I listened and observed and critiqued performance, but as an Road in Bangkok. Amari is an upper upscale hotel with full services
owner, I never really got into the details. But COVID compelled catering to the discerning needs of both business and leisure travellers,
me to get involved personally, and in doing so, I learned a lot. When offering services as a City MICE hotel, Urban MICE hotel, and resort
you hire dedicated professionals, they work towards the company’s - a celebration of contemporary Thainess. Shama is a serviced apartment
success. As an owner, being involved ensures you stay informed and brand that provides its residents with a combination of comfort, style,
help maintain a smooth flow of information. By hiring sincere people and luxury, now available in Hong Kong, China, Thailand, and
who are committed to growing the business, you can foster a thriving Malaysia; and OZO is a middle-upper scale hotel brand with a touch
and transparent work environment. of fun and playfulness, offering a vibrant and energetic hotel and resort
experience, currently available in Thailand and Malaysia. Our brand
In the past, our focus for growth was on signing numerous contracts structures are straightforward and I believe hospitality players should
each year. However, many of those contracts turned into liabilities. focus on strengthening existing brands rather than acquiring more
Ultimately, we had to restructure the entire portfolio, eliminating brands if they lack traction. It doesn’t make sense to have one property
the liability contracts and refocusing our efforts. Additionally, we for each brand. For example, many Thai-Indian families have land
renovated many of our properties to ensure we could reposition and want to build hotels. Sometimes, they may choose to manage the
ourselves effectively after COVID. property themselves, but other times, they prefer professionals who
provide a structured framework for operations. That’s where ONYX
What would you say is your new focus, in this post-pandemic Hospitality Group comes in - we aim to be the preferred choice of
landscape? operator for many real-estate developers in Southeast Asia.

Our new focus is ensuring that whatever property we own or manage,
it will generate a sustainable and positive recovery fee. We asked Sustainability is now paramount in many industries, and the
ourselves, “How are we going to be competitive?” The answer is: hospitality industry is no exception. Can you elaborate on ONYX
reinvest in sales and marketing, in people selection, and maintain Hospitality Group’s sustainability initiatives and how they align
strong financial discipline to ensure that each brand delivers. with global environmental standards?

In the past, Thailand was seen as a discounted destination that was ‘No single-use plastics’ has become the norm now. But we take
‘value for money.’ However, COVID forced hotels to realise that another angle towards sustainability at ONYX Hospitality Group.
having a good location and low prices is not enough. You have to We start with cultural sustainability, and in fact, we are the first
make sure your price is more competitive, and products and services hospitality firm in Asia-Pacific to follow the UNESCO framework on
need to improve. Our brands were no exception. “intangible cultural heritage.” For example, we ask ourselves, “How
can we practice Songkran like we used to?” It’s not just about parties
Among our brands, we have the Oriental Residence, where the and spraying water, there’s more depth to the festival. We need to
tradition of luxury boutique hotels lives on in every gesture, making extract the essence of the rituals and festivals, spanning Diwali for
each visit a celebration of the timeless allure of gracious living. At our Indian families, to Chinese New Year, and more, and respect
present, you may experience Oriental Residence’s charm on Wireless them at our hotels.

74 | MASALA MAGAZINE JUN-JUL 2024