Tune likes the sound of London

KUALA LUMPUR – Tune Hotels.com’s plan for 15 hotels in Greater London by 2017 is key to the group’s global expansion plans.

Group CEO Mark Lankester said UK, and London in particular, “is a crucial part of our expansion plan, on top of our organic growth in Asia.

“From London, we already set our eyes on Europe, the Middle East and America.”

Lankester said the London profile lent “much higher credibility and reputation and it plants a flagpole in one of the most visited cities in the world”.

“It will be a springboard for further and more rapid potential partnerships globally,” said Lankester.

Tune Hotels.com – part of the AirAsia group – recently entered into a strategic partnership with London-based Queensway Group Limited to invest in, develop and operate 15 Tune Hotels.com hotels across Greater London by 2017.

The roll out of the £150 million investment involving around 1,500 hotel rooms will commence with the launch of Tune Hotels.com-Westminster in the third quarter of 2010.

Queensway Group is a UK-based private investment group owning and operating hospitality assets in the UK, Europe and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The UK venture is part of Tune Hotels.com’s target of operating 100 hotels globally by 2015.

It has strategic partnerships with Apodis Hospitality Group for 20 hotels in India by 2012 while 44 more will be opened across Thailand, China, Bangladesh, the Philippines, and Indonesia under a partnership with Evolution Capital PCL, a real estate investment advisory firm listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand.