Global hospitality brand Yotel and Singapore-based Frasers Hospitality have formed a partnership that will allow the former to launch the first Yotel hotel in Japan in early 2025.
The 244-key Yotel Tokyo Ginza will command a prime location in the city’s most popular dining and shopping destination, with Tokyo Station a short 15-minute walk away.
It will showcase the brand’s distinctive signature style, seamlessly blending modern design with locally inspired artwork. Guests can expect new features during their stay, such as robotic concierge, motorised SmartBeds, and fully integrated technologies enabling a complete digital guest experience from reservation up to check-out.
Hubert Viriot, Yotel’s CEO, said the new property would be the brand’s flagship.
“We are thrilled to collaborate with an investor who shares our dedication to innovation and excellence in hospitality,” he said.
Eu Chin Fen, CEO of Frasers Hospitality, said: “The debut of the inaugural Yotel-branded hotel in Tokyo, Japan marks a significant milestone for us and reaffirms our commitment to deepen our presence in the country as we continue to grow the portfolio. We are pleased to join hands with Yotel to launch the brand in Japan and look forward to a mutually beneficial partnership in the long term.”
Yotel Tokyo Ginza is part of the brand’s wider strategy to expand across key cities in Japan. The group is also working to roll out Yotelair, a transit hotel concept, at key gateway airports and train stations.
Singapore-based travel management company Silkway Travel Asia has been acquired by Japanese OTA Adventure, Inc. as part of the former’s regional expansion strategy, and will now function as a fully owned subsidiary of the latter.
The deal is mutually beneficial and will not affect Silkway Travel Asia’s operations in Singapore, including its name, management team, and product offerings, assured the company in a press statement.
The deal will allow Adventure, with an annual turnover of 20 billion yen (US$130.7 million), to leverage Silkway Travel Asia’s established presence and expertise in both Singapore and the region, and cater to the diverse travel preferences of Asian customers as part of the company’s strategic expansion into South-east Asia.
The integration of Silkway Travel Asia’s unique offerings into Adventure’s extensive portfolio ensures travellers will enjoy unparalleled access to tailored travel experiences.
Silkway Travel Asia will also gain access to Adventure’s air ticket reservation platform skyticket, which streamlines the booking process for customers by allowing them to search, book, and pay for flights through Google’s search engine, without needing to be redirected to other websites.
James Tang, director and co-founder of Silkway Travel Asia, said: “Silkway Travel Asia will continue to expand its portfolio of MNC and SME clientele, providing extensive and comprehensive corporate travel management products and services.”
Albert Hong, director and co-founder of Silkway Travel Asia, added: “We’re thrilled to embark on the next stage of our growth with Adventure. This acquisition signifies Adventure’s confidence in our offerings and long-term strategy in expanding our operations further in Singapore and South-east Asia region, as travel demand continues to grow post-Covid.”
Both Tang and Hong will continue to serve as directors of the company post-acquisition.
Describing Silkway Travel Asia as a “valuable addition to the Adventure family”, Shunichi Nakamura, CEO of Adventure, said both companies “share a common goal of creating impactful and sustainable travel experiences that resonate with the evolving desires of today’s modern travellers”.