Mumbai, Nov 30 (UNI) SaffronStays, a micro-hospitality start-up, which curates boutique homes
across the country, is now looking to position itself as a category creator in the micro-hospitality
industry and establish an Indian market for highly curated vacation rental and holiday experiences.
The brand that has acquired more than 30 exclusive homes across the country with a strong
presence in Maharashtra, Goa, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand is now looking to
replicate its successful model in southern states of Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry,
with a target of acquiring and managing 45 homes with 180 rooms across 6 states by the end of
FY 2018.
As tourism in South India is fueled by abundant tea and coffee estates, culturally rich packages and
royal, heritage homes, SaffronStays aims to tap into markets like Coonoor, Coorg, Munnar,
Yercaud and Puducherry that align with the brand outlook.
By onboarding over 2,000 homes in the next 3-4 years, the company has set its target to an inventory
of over 10,000 rooms. With an Average Room Rate of Rs 7,500, SaffronStays aims to compete with
global giants based in Europe, USA and China that were valued at 200 million USD via corporate
M&A transactions over the past 12 months.
The company is looking to raise 20 million US Dollars to fund these expansion plans and strengthen
their position across India and the world.
Talking about the expansion plans, Devendra Parulekar, founder, SaffronStays, said, "We are specifically
targeting watering holes of high net worth individuals - exclusive clubs and associations like member-driven gymkhanas and owners' associations to spread the word.'
These homeowners are money rich and time poor, and we want to restore and manage their estates for them. Owners of large ancestral homes in Coorg and Coonoor were the flag-bearers of homestays in
India, and we want to make sure their product is available to a larger market via our services.
"At present, the Indian leisure home market is sparsely populated - approximately 2,00,000 homes across the country. Over the next 7 years, this number is projected at 7,00,000 homes," he said.
"The scope for penetration is immense. SaffronStays Milton Abbott, Ooty is one such home that highlights the charm of a restored and well-maintained heritage home. The 1865-built royal home situated next to Ooty Golf Course and Gymkhana, is surrounded by a 4.5 acre estate that is a respite from a saturated Ooty market. Such
homestays are now widely accepted in India, and SaffronStays eyes to be the national leader in this space," Mr Parulekar added.
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