With an aim to capitalize on the nation’s tourism boom and an accommodation crunch, especially in urban centers, Hoshino Resorts Inc. on Thursday announced the launch of a mid-market urban leisure brand called Omo.
The fourth brand for Hoshino, CEO Yoshiharu Hoshino said Omo will launch next spring with two hotels, and more to come. “Staying in business hotels can be rather dull. That’s why we’re suggesting a new city hotel brand that will enhance the travel experience,” Hoshino said.
The company has been refurbishing the Asahikawa Grand Hotel in Hokkaido that was acquired last year and has since been renamed the Hoshino Resort Omo7, with the number reflecting the grade of the accommodation based on amenities and a 10-point scale. Another hotel will open near Tokyo’s Otsuka station called Hoshino Resort Omo5. Another is planned near Osaka’s Shin-Imamiya Station in the downtown area.
To date, Hoshino Resorts has operated high-end hotels and ryokans, traditional-style Japanese inns, in rural, scenic locations under its flagship Hoshinoya brand, the hot-spring-focused Kai brand, and the western resort-type Risonare brand. It currently operates 37 resorts — 35 in Japan and two overseas.
Japan saw 24 million visitors last year, and the government wants that number to increase to 40 million by 2020, when Tokyo will host the Olympic Games.