On June 2, Mystays Hotel Management announced the rebranding of Kanpo no Yado, which began operations on April 5, to Kamenoi Hotel.
From July 1, the hotel will be rebranded to a total of 32 facilities, including 30 Kanpo Inn facilities, Beppu Kamenoi Hotel, which has been in operation since 2015, and Kamenoi Hotel Oku-Nikko Yumoto, which opened on April 28, in an effort to attract new customers. In addition to direct sales to Kanpo Inn members, the company hopes to increase occupancy rates through sales via OTAs.
Originally, “Kanpo no Yado” was the lodging business of the Japan Post Group, but due to losses caused by the new coronavirus and other factors, the decision was made to sell 32 of the 33 facilities. Of these, Mystays Hotel Management, which operates 105 facilities nationwide (as of 2021) under the umbrella of Fortress Investment Group, took over 29 facilities, and separated the “main building” and “annex” of “Kanpo no Yado Atami” to operate a total of 30 facilities.
At a press conference held on June 2, Shunsuke Yamamoto, Chairman of Mystays Hotel Management and Managing Director of Fortress Investment Group Japan, explained that Japan Post Inn was a recreational facility for people with simple insurance and had an occupancy rate of about 61%, which was below the average resort hotel. The occupancy rate was about 61%, which was lower than the average resort hotel occupancy rate.
By renewing its image through the rebranding, the company hopes to “introduce to consumers that it is a casual hot spring hotel where anyone can stay. The reason for not branding the hotel as “Mystays” was that it had a strong image as a lodging-specialized hotel, and “we thought that consumers would feel uncomfortable if we put the name on a hot spring inn.
Mr. Ryoichi Shirota, President of Mystays Hotel Management, also stated that the brand power of the Kanpo Inn is beyond imagination, but the image of a public facility is strong, and that the company aims to improve consumer recognition and expand sales channels through the rebranding.
The name of Kamenoi Hotel is derived from the Beppu Kamenoi Hotel, which was opened in 1924 by Kumahachi Aburaya, known as the “father of Beppu tourism” and “founder of Japanese tourism. Mystays Hotel Management has operated the hotel since 2015.
Jun Ogawa, Executive Officer of MRM Business Department of Mystays Hotel Management, explained that Kumahachi Aburaya had created innovations such as devising a female bus guide to take guests on a tour of Beppu Hell, and expressed his enthusiasm, “I would like to take over his DNA and operate the hotel as an innovative hot spring hotel. He also expressed his enthusiasm, saying, “I would like to take over the DNA of the Beppu brand and operate it as an innovative onsen hotel. The brand will start with 32 facilities, but the company hopes to add hotels in Tohoku, Kusatsu, and other regions to the brand, and hopes to expand to about 50 facilities in the future.
In addition to seniors, who have been the main target of the new brand, the hotel will also target the child-rearing generation, active seniors, and groups, utilizing the know-how gained from operating integrated resort hotels and other services as Mystays Hotel Management. The hotel aims to attract inbound travelers while promoting the fact that all facilities are equipped with hot spring baths.
Through the rebranding, public spaces, guest rooms, restaurants, etc. at each facility will be renovated sequentially. Currently, most of the guest rooms are Japanese-style rooms, but the hotel plans to increase the ratio of Western-style rooms to meet the needs of customers.
In addition, a family room and a kids’ park will be added for the child-rearing generation, and a buffet popular with families will be introduced in the restaurant. For seniors, the hotel will increase the source rate of hot spring water, as well as install karaoke rooms and an activity room where guests can enjoy playing Go and Shogi (Japanese chess). In addition, unattended wine and sake servers, which are currently available at the Tateshina Grand Hotel Taki no Yu, will be introduced at many facilities. Glamping facilities and pet rooms will also be enhanced. The first 10 facilities will be renovated by February 2023, and eventually all facilities will be renovated.
Rates are expected to average 11,000 yen to 20,000 yen per person per night including two meals. Depending on the facility, some rooms, such as those with open-air baths, may be priced at 40,000 yen to 50,000 yen. In addition to direct sales, OTAs will be used for sales. Mr. Ogawa said that the utilization rate will be increased to 80% through the use of OTAs, and that “the ratio will vary depending on the lodging facility, but we hope to acquire about 30% of the guests through OTAs.
Although Kanpo Inn is still in operation, it will operate under a new brand from July 1. On the same day, a campaign to give away room vouchers and the “Unlimited Stay Plan,” a subscription service that allows guests to use all Kamenoi Hotel facilities at a fixed rate, will also be launched. Details will be released at a later date, but the company plans to start with a trial period within this year, taking into consideration the fact that many of the hotels in the Kanpo Inn area have originally been used for consecutive nights. In addition, the hotel will also start offering “Jigoku Meguri Yonaki Tantanmen” free of charge.
© Source travel watch
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