India's Oyo Hotels & Homes has 515,000-plus rooms in eight countries. Hotelivate Chairman Manav Thadani says traditional players shouldn't dismiss Oyo, which operates franchised and leased assets - and which recently received a reported US$150 million to US$200 million investment from Airbnb. More flexibility on brand standards. While I am not undermining the importance of guidelines to ensure consistency, I see merit in Oyo focusing more on the basics than the frills. A clean and safe accommodation, with a comfortable bed, adequate technology, perhaps suitable dining options and trained staff is all one really needs - especially in the budget-to-midscale segment. Yet, typical franchise and management contract negotiations can extend to up to 18 months, with considerable back-and-forth between owner and brand. In contrast, signing up with Oyo could take as little as 10 days.
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