US-based Wyndham Hotel Group is ready to launch its mid-market brand Howard Johnson in India with real estate player Unique Global Group under a franchisee agreement.

Currently, Wyndham is running 16 hotels under brands such as Ramada, Wyndham, Days Inn and Ramada Plaza, under franchisee agreements in the country.

“India is a key market for us and we have nearly doubled our presence in the past two years. With this franchisee agreement with Unique Group, we will have 35 hotels under brand Howard Johnson in the secondary cities in the next five years where we don’t have a presence as of now,” said Frank Tempert, Managing Director Asia Pacific Wyndham Hotel Group.

The company has a development pipeline of 22 hotels, out of which seven will be the Howard Johnsons that will open in first phase.
“We have identified locations in Mumbai, Tirupati, Lucknow and Bhubaneswar, among others to open Howard Johnsons,” said Raj Kumar Rai, Chairman and MD, Unique Group.

The pricing of the hotel rooms will be in the range of $80-120 a night and will be targeted at the young domestic traveller.
The company that has 15 brands is keen to bring more into the country.

“Asia is fast growing region for us. We see a lot of potential for other brands such as Hawthorne as well as Trype and are exploring opportunities for them,” said Tempert.