Hyatt Hotels Corporation has reorganised its broad collection of brands into a grouping of five portfolios to provide a “clear focus”.
Over the past few decades, Hyatt has vastly expanded its brand collection both through acquisitions and the launch of its own original brands.
The new structure is a way for the company to "step back, realign those and make sure we have a clear focus," Dan Hansen, Hyatt’s head of Americas development and global head of Hyatt Studios, told BTN.
"We don't look at it as having 30-some brands; we look at it as having five distinct focuses," added Hansen. “They all have a little bit of a different offering, but they're concise enough that we can dedicate resources so that those guest needs and owner needs are met.”
Among the five categories is an Essentials portfolio including Hyatt's select-service brands, such as Hyatt Place and Caption, and the upper-midscale extended stay Hyatt Studios.
Hyatt's flagship Grand Hyatt and Hyatt Regency brands fall into its Classics portfolio, while the Luxury portfolio includes Park Hyatt properties and other top-tier properties in the Hyatt family such as Alila.
The company had already announced the creation of its Lifestyle portfolio last year when it acquired Standard International, with former Standard executive chairman Amar Lalvani leading this category as president and executive director.
The fifth group, Inclusive, covers Hyatt's all-inclusive brands and will be led by Javier Águila, Hyatt's group president for Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Speaking at the recent Americas Lodging Investment Summit in the US, Hyatt VP of global brands Katie Johnson said there currently is "brand fatigue" - both from the consumer and the industry standpoint.
"There's a lot of mergers and acquisition and transition, and the brand landscape is challenging to navigate," she said. "I want to see the success of our brands continue to evolve."
Hansen added that corporate travel will be a key part of these multiple portfolios and noted that about a third of its transient business travel mix was in the luxury tier.
The five segments will allow Hyatt to provide "adequate capacity for business travellers that represent different industries," he said.
"You might have a group of consultants that wants a full-service restaurant, a place with room service. You might also have a group that wants a little more vibrant experience,” explained Hansen.
"Having a family of brands allows you to tailor-make the experience for that business trip."