Dallas-Fort Worth travelers who want to take high tea overlooking Victoria Harbour at the Peninsula Hong Kong or chow down on dim sum have a new way to get to the bustling Asian metropolis next spring.
23.09.2024 - 22:29 / skift.com / Pranavi Agarwal / Peden Doma Bhutia
In a move to expand its international reach, India-based hospitality company Oyo announced the acquisition of Motel 6 and Studio 6, two economy lodging brands, from Blackstone for $525 million. This all-cash deal positions Oyo to significantly boost its presence in the U.S., adding nearly 1,500 properties to its portfolio.
The acquisition also strengthens Oyo’s market position as it prepares for a long-anticipated IPO. Last month, when Oyo raised INR 14.5 billion (approximately $175 million) in a funding round, the hospitality company had said that it would use the capital to support its global expansion plans.
Oyo’s journey in the U.S. began in 2019. Today, Oyo operates 320 hotels in 35 U.S. states and plans to add an additional 250 properties in 2024. The Motel 6 deal will provide Oyo with a cash flow boost: Motel 6’s franchise network produces gross room revenues of $1.7 billion, which generates a strong fee base and cash flow for G6, Oyo said in a release.
The acquisition marks a turning point for Oyo, which had initially struggled to establish a foothold in the U.S. market. With Motel 6’s brand recognition, Oyo gains not only an iconic name but also a proven model for generating revenue in the competitive U.S. economy lodging sector.
Oyo said they would not be able to comment more on the deal other than what’s mentioned in the release.
Oyo has undergone a significant transformation since its early days as a loss-making entity. For eight consecutive quarters, the company has posted profits, including a profit of INR 1.32 billion ($16 million) in the first quarter of fiscal 2025. The IPO has been in the pipeline for some time.
A source familiar with Oyo’s plans had previously told Skift that the company is close to completing a refinancing and it expects to pursue an IPO after it’s done.
Oyo initially filed for an IPO in 2021, but the economic uncertainty brought on by the pandemic led to delays. With the global hospitality market stabilizing and Oyo’s financial health improving, the company is now better positioned for a successful public offering.
The economy chain scale in the U.S. has long presented opportunities, even as the market has tilted toward upscale and upper-midscale investments. Brands like Hilton and Marriott have begun exploring midscale and premium economy options, but much of the economy segment remains ripe for disruption.
“Oyo’s acquisition of Motel 6 positions the company to capitalize on the untapped potential in this space,” said Pranavi Agarwal, senior research analyst at Skift.
In 2007, 25% of the U.S. branded hotels were in the economy chain scale which is now at 19%-20%. The U.S. economy lodging sector remains dominated by just two major players, Wyndham and Choice
Dallas-Fort Worth travelers who want to take high tea overlooking Victoria Harbour at the Peninsula Hong Kong or chow down on dim sum have a new way to get to the bustling Asian metropolis next spring.
Guyana goes by many names. One of the only countries in the Caribbean Community that’s not located in the Caribbean Sea, Guyana is often referred to as the “Land of Many Waters” owing to the numerous rivers that flow through its perch on South America’s North Atlantic coast. It’s also called the “Land of Giants” — an abundance of water and minimal human interference have preserved Guyana as a fertile, untapped country where large flora and fauna thrive.
There are multiple hiking trails that lead to the ancient city of Machu Picchu: the Ancascocha Trail, the Salkantay Trail, the Lares Trek, etc. But the most popular of them all is the Inca Trail, and to hike it, you need a permit.
Amsterdam, like many other European cities, is facing an overtourism problem. The numbers don’t lie. In the year 2000, the Dutch capital broke a record when it welcomed over 4 million visitors. In 2019, the city’s enthusiasm for unbridled tourism had curbed: 10.2 million visitors came to Amsterdam, which has a population of about 820,000, that year and spent 21.8 million nights in the city.
A few years ago, my partner and I decided to go to an all-inclusive resort for the first time.
Economy budget brand Motel 6 announced that it would be sold to Indian-based travel company OYO for $525 million.
With a crowd of nearly 800 attendees, Ensemble’s 2024 Horizons conference went off with palpable excitement at Vegas’ Resorts World last week. And the message was a bold one for the attendees and supplier partners who came together with a brimming energy around the theme of this year’s summit: “The Power of You.”
The crackdown on unruly airline passengers continues.
Two years since the death of Grammy Award winning singer and Grease star Olivia Newton-John, a never-before-heard song has been released.
In this episode of the Skift India Travel Podcast, Asia Editor Peden Doma Bhutia and India Reporter Bulbul Dhawan dive into the top travel stories from India this month. They explore Leela Hotels’ move toward an IPO, South Africa’s new visa reforms, and Oyo’s acquisition of Motel 6. The discussion also covers key trends in Indian aviation and how Indian millennials are driving a surge in travel spending.
My husband and I had always talked about getting a camper van and taking it on epic road trips after we retired.
As a prolonged heat wave scorched Greece in mid-June, with temperatures reaching over 104 degrees Fahrenheit, residents of Sifnos, a small island in the western Cyclades, faced a reality they had long anticipated and feared: Their taps ran dry.