About Joon Ooi
Joon Ooi, President of Asia Pacific at Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, has emphasized the company's "owner first" business philosophy as central to its growth strategy in the region. In a June 2025 interview, he stated that the company blends its own brand preferences with the realities of different markets and what owners want to decide how and when to grow. He noted that the Wyndham and Ramada tier brands remain strong favorites, accounting for about 50% of annual growth, while the company also introduces new brands. Ooi cited Microtel by Wyndham as an example of a brand adapted to local market nuances while maintaining its core DNA. He described the middle class as a key growth segment and said the company is aligning with consumer trends by focusing on the midscale level.
Ooi has also highlighted strong growth metrics for the region. In 2024, he said Wyndham opened 220 hotels and signed 286 in Asia Pacific, and noted that the company now has over 1,800 hotels in the region covering segments from budget to luxury. He pointed to China's domestic travel prospects, citing increased air capacity and infrastructure upgrades, and said China experienced a more than 150% increase in inbound travelers in 2023. In earlier remarks from 2020, Ooi described Vietnam as a market with "phenomenal growth" potential, with more than 10,000 rooms in its executed pipeline. He also discussed undergoing a 14-day quarantine in Shanghai in June 2020, stating that he felt China was "one of the safest places on earth" due to government-imposed processes for international arrivals.
Source: AI-verified profile updated from Joon Ooi's recent appearances.
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Transcript (10 segments)
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Interviewer0:00
Hi Jonah, this is checking to see how you're doing so far.
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Joon Ooi0:03
Hi Jonah, and I hope you're settling down well in Shanghai. Thanks for checking in. I'm fine. I arrived into Shanghai last Monday on the 1st of June and I am undergoing 14-day quarantine. I think today's day nine of the 14, and it's been good, it's been good, thank you.
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Interviewer0:23
14 days is a long time. I can't imagine myself being cooped up in a room for that long. So how are you coping with this?
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Joon Ooi0:32
I guess the downside of a quarantine is the lack of human face-to-face interactions, but the good thing is the food gets delivered and I enjoy the food, although there's once or twice I don't quite agree with the food and I have to improvise and be creative with what I have.
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Interviewer0:51
The process of getting from Singapore to Shanghai, did you face any crazy challenges? What was the experience like for you? It must have been quite daunting, a little bit scary, considering most people aren't traveling at all or at least avoiding enclosed spaces.
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Joon Ooi1:07
Am I making this move to be quarantined because of this new role? I feel there's a strong need for me to be physically on the ground in Shanghai together with the team, to meet the team, to work together with the team, and also of course take the opportunity later on to meet the owners who are working together on the various projects. Getting to Shanghai, I was a bit skeptical at first, but I must say I've been very impressed with what I've seen and experienced. I'm particularly impressed with what the Shanghai Airport authorities and the government authorities have done in terms of the processes that they have put in place for all international arrivals. It does make me feel very safe throughout this whole journey.
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Interviewer1:54
Nine, ten days of quarantine. How have you been in touch with regional team members and friends and family?
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Joon Ooi2:07
In terms of keeping in touch with the outside world, there's been no shortage. People from all around have been calling and connecting. Colleagues from all over the world, friends from Shanghai and Singapore, owners, GMs, and even our group CEO Jeff Valatie. I've received at least two calls from him just to check in on how I'm doing. Some of our friends are obviously concerned about me coming to China, but one thing I can say for sure is to me, China right now is one of the safest, if not the safest place on earth. What the Chinese government and authorities have done to get the country to where it is today is very impressive.
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Interviewer2:47
Your first plans after the quarantine is over? What happens after quarantine?
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Joon Ooi2:52
Well, I'm excited to be back. As you know, I spent about 13 years previously living and working in Shanghai, and I've seen the growth of the country, especially the hospitality industry. The growth has been amazing. Another five days to go before the quarantine ends, and I'm looking forward to getting out there to meet the team, the owners, the GMs, the hotel teams, and our guests. We'll see you in the office again soon. Generally Tuesday night, Tuesday. We'll see you all right guys. Hey, thank you very much. Stay safe. It's great. I think that's my lunch. So guys, thanks for checking in. See you guys soon. I'm hungry. I'm looking forward to lunch. Thanks. Bye.
