Mang Inasal founder sets Hotel of Asia expansion

MANILA, Philippines - Mang Inasal Founder Edgar “Injap” Sia II aims to transform his hotel business into a major industry player with the help of a foreign investor.

Sia’s Hotel of Asia Inc. has already lined up an expansion program in 15 key cities nationwide through Chinese hotel giant JinJiang.

“Hotel of Asia is envisioned to be a major hospitality sector player in the country catering to different market segments,” Sia said in an interview.

Hotel of Asia is a joint venture company of Injap Investments Inc., Oishi Liwayway Corp. and Steineil Development Corp.

To date, the company has two brands: The Jinjiang Inn and condotel brand Hotel 101.

“For JinJiang Inn, we intend to grow it by opening both company operated units and eventually sub-franchise units,” Sia said.

It will be the first time Jinjiang, which is one of the largest hotel chains in China with more than 34,000 rooms in 73 cities, is putting up a branch outside China.

Hotel of Asia, as the holder of the master franchise of Jinjiang Inn, committed to introduce the brand in 15 key cities in the country in the next five years.

The first JinJiang Inn located in Ortigas Center will start operations late this year, to be followed by another Jinjiang Inn in Makati next year.

Sia said the company expects to benefit from Jinjiang’s position of being the largest tour operator in China. Jinjiang Inn targets to serve Chinese tourists as it expands in Metro Manila, Cebu, Davao, Iloilo and Bacolod.

Another Hotel of Asia project, Hotel 101 which is located in Pasay City, will start operations in December 2015.

Sia said the condotel concept of Hotel 101 makes it a preferred safe investment instrument, an alternative for bank time deposits and mutual funds.

So far, 62 percent of the 522 units in Hotel 101 has been sold to investors at P3.18 million.

On a monthly basis, Hotel 101 will distribute to all unit owners the 30 percent of the total gross sales.

“We hope Hotel of Asia will be a major contributor in building the infrastructure needed to achieve [the tourist arrival] goal,” Sia said.

The Department of Tourism targets to attract 10 million foreign tourists by 2016.

“Going into the resort sector will be good in the future to add to our existing JinJiang Inn and Hotel 101 brands,” Sia said.