Traveling Blog: Oyo Primed for Growth + Post-Experience Economy + Hyatt Sheds Oasis Investment

October 2, 2018

Editor's Note

It might sound easy to dismiss Oyo. It's been an affordable hotel chain operating mostly in India, with a founder who happens to be 24 years old. But last week Oyo announced it has raised $1 billion to fund expansion. Having so-called unicorn status is certainly admirable, but we've seen plenty of companies valued at $1 billion or more go south.

What should worry the hospitality industry more, writes Travel Tech Editor Sean O'Neill below, is that while it may be laughing off Oyo now, the upstart may soon quietly steal giant hotel groups' market share among much-coveted millennials in the budget and limited service category in the world's fast-growing markets in India, China, and the rest of Southeast Asia. Oyo is clearly on Silicon Valley's radar with big successes raising money. It's only a matter of time before it's at the top of the watch list for the hospitality industry, too. Whether Oyo turns out to be a surprising success or another failed unicorn remains to be seen.

— Tom Lowry, Managing Editor

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