U.K.-based Yoo Hotels & Resorts reportedly is looking to establish at least 20 hotels under its Yoo2 lifestyle brand across Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia and the Philippines over the next three to five years.
In Malaysia, the company is reportedly talking to developers to have four hotels by 2022, including urban and beachfront resort locations in Penang, Langkawi in Kedah and Cherating in Pahang.
Rich Millar, Yoo Worldwide’s VP/business development for Asia-Pacific, told Malaysian paper New Straits Times Malaysia is ripe for development. "The country is positive on its tourism numbers and there is more businesses coming from China," he told the paper. "It is a good time to build our hotel and resort portfolio with Malaysia included...Developers are looking for best brand and operation, and that is where we come in," he said.
Yoo Worldwide has partnered with hotel operators like Onyx Hospitality Group in Malaysia for development. “We will work closely with the developers starting from resort planning to interior design, branding and marketing. For each project, we estimate it would take at least two years to complete,” he told the New Straits Times.
Yoo currently has 81 properties open in 36 countries. The Yoo2 brand has seven properties underway in Thailand, and two each in Vietnam and India.