Summary: In the beginning of September 2019, a monumental news enveloped the eZee HQ and the entire hospitality industry. Yanolja, South Korea’s No.1 OTA and hotel PMS vendor acquired a stake in eZee. Both the organizations will be providing fully automated hotel technology to the industry; which will be powered by IoT, blockchain and AI.
Surat and South Korea, September 20th, 2019:
Yanolja, a global hotel and travel technology group and leisure platform company based in Seoul, South Korea has been in the industry since 2005. Offering No. 1 accommodation booking service, and involved in hotel supplies and remodeling, Yanolja’s hotel technology has been currently serving 8000+ properties across Korea.
eZee with their all-in-one hotel and restaurant solution, cater to over 13000 customers in 160+ countries worldwide. Based in Surat, India since 2006, eZee have been adept in keeping their solutions up-to-date with the latest technology.
Yanolja’s CEO of Online Business and Head of Global Hotel Solutions at eZee HQ
From L to R: Harshdeep Khatri, Hitesh Patel, Kim Jong Yoon, Vipul Kapoor, Andrew Kim, Aeijaz Sodawala
Yanolja had been wishing to expand their business beyond their home country. By acquiring eZee, they have carved a path towards improved technology and expansion to untouched markets; especially APAC region.
What this means for our (eZee’s) employees, clients and resellers?
Both the companies will come together to develop and provide a completely automated hotel technology and bring around a breakthrough in the industry.
eZee’s expertise in providing cutting-edge solutions to the industry will combine with Yanolja’s proficiency in business development and contemporary products. The industry will witness a turning point in the hotel technology which will not only elevate the guest experience but also cut down the hotel’s operational costs.
The acquisition will affect our clients and resellers in the following ways:
For our employees: For the eZee team members, this acquisition will bring along an opportunity to work on the latest technology viz. blockchain, IoT and AI. They will collaborate with the industry’s best minds to strategize product innovations and business development.
For our clients and the hotel industry: Our clients and the entire hotel industry will benefit immensely by using the state-of-the-art technology at their premises, automate their operations completely and reduce their operational costs. This will also lead to happier guests.
For our resellers: This acquisition will provide a leverage to our resellers through an international platform with industry influencers. eZee’s amplified brand recognition, backed by Yanolja will assist our resellers to sell more and latest products in their regions.
Adding to this, Yanolja has been endorsed by Singaporean sovereign wealth fund GIC Pte. and world’s leading provider of online travel Booking Holdings, which will give eZee the essential guidance and scope to expand.
How did this come into the picture: The History
A company started by 2 computer graduate students in a tier-2 city of India, eZee has today proved to be an inspiration for many entrepreneurs and start-ups alike to achieve international recognition and the right platform to showcase their efforts.
Having been in the industry since last 13 years, eZee have grown steadily by penetrating new markets and segments, enrolling resellers in different regions, establishing relationships with leading OTAs and hotel tech companies along with building online reputation.
Today, eZee is the No. 2 hotel PMS company in the world, followed by Oracle Hospitality.
What made Yanolja our right partner?
Yanolja, who are also the creators of South Korea’s most popular hotel app have their core business areas into providing No.1 accommodation booking service (OTA), and even into hotel construction and publications.
On the other hand, Yanolja also owns and manages 7 hotel chains in South Korea which gives them the essential exposure towards hotel management practices.
And eZee had its reasons to go ahead with this transaction:
- Alike visions: eZee had a vision to become the No. 1 hospitality technology company in the world. Yanolja is the No. 1 travel and hotel technology company in South Korea, with an immediate focus to be No. 1 in APAC region. Their capital, experience, and support by industry leaders would be an ideal match to achieve eZee’s vision.
- Expansion to new markets: Yanolja announced an investment in ZEN Rooms, South-east Asia’s expanding budget hotel chain. With Yanolja active in APAC region, eZee will be able to broaden its business to Yanolja-powered hotels and in new markets.
- Opportunity to work on future technology: Since Yanolja already develops solutions based on latest technology, eZee will get an advantage to work on such future technology, which will eventually give them a better edge over the competition.
- Right guidance and insights to grow: eZee will get valuable insights into hotel operations and market trends. An experienced team will guide and support them in business growth.
- Magnified brand recognition: Yanolja’s brand value and connections to industry leaders will give a boost to eZee’s brand. This will help them onboard higher number of resellers and customers.
eZee’s existing presence in the APAC region through customers, reseller network and regional office also gave a nudge to Yanolja’s decision.
What should you look forward to post this announcement?
Kim Jong Yoon, CEO of Online Business at Yanolja will attend APAC Digital Leaders Summit, ITB Asia, and AWS re: Invent, to make a presentation about the fully-automated hotel management platform based on IoT, AI and blockchain technologies.
In particular, Yanolja will officially announce the global launch of a new hotel automation solution at ITB Asia, the largest annual travel convention which will take place during October 16 to 18 at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore.
Needless to say, the entire industry is about to grow up a notch with these advancements.
eZee is extremely grateful to all its customers, resellers, employees and everyone who were a part of this journey. Their constant support is what has made them reach this pinnacle of their successful business journey.