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Some 200 hotels in over a dozen countries across Asia, the Pacific and Europe are offering clean, hip and secure accommodation for value-conscious travellers from around the world. That, in a nutshell, is the dream being spun into reality by Mark Lankester, the chief executive officer of Tune Hotels. Controlled by Malaysian budget carrier AirAsia and its boss Tony Fernandes, Tune already operates seven hotels – five in Malaysia and two in Bali.
“We would have had twice that number if not for the financial crisis and the credit crunch,” Mr Lankester told BT. According to him, development plans are already underway to set up 64 Tune hotels in India, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines and Bangladesh. These hotels will be up and running by 2013, he added.
“With AirAsia X now flying to London and Australia, we have plans to launch 10 hotels in greater London, and as many in Melbourne and other Australian cities,” Mr Lankester said.
The hotels, where prices per night start at the equivalent of S $5 for a standard 12 square-metre room, are targeted at not just budget backpackers, but also budget conscious corporate travellers who want good, clean, secure rooms, with hot ‘power showers’ and good quality bed and linen, Mr Lankester said.
“We are not talking about cheap, sleazy hotels,” he said. “Our hotels are good class, hip, budget hotels, centrally located in every city, with airy rooms, full CCTV monitored security, and front glass doors which auto-lock by midnight with access only by smart keys. It will appeal to both budget leisure and budget conscious corporate travellers.”
Each hotel will have an average of 180 to 200 rooms, though some of its existing Malaysian hotels have almost 300 rooms. And the F&B outlets will be farmed out to suitable vendors, be they a global chain or localised versions of ‘kopi tiams’.
Tatiana is the news co-ordinator for TravelDailyNews Media Network (traveldailynews.gr, traveldailynews.com and traveldailynews.asia). Her role includes to monitor the hundrends of news sources of TravelDailyNews Media Network and skim the most important according to our strategy. She holds a Bachelor degree in Communication & Mass Media from Panteion University of Political & Social Studies of Athens and she has been editor and editor-in-chief in various economic magazines and newspapers.
