Spotting a market opportunity for third party operations, white label management and advisory services in the Middle East, Africa and Central Asia regions, serial entrepreneur and Glion alumnus Ronald Homsy has joined forces with co-founder Richard Haddad to launch Aventra Hospitality. The Insider discovers more…

Ever since hotel operators began to adopt ‘asset light’ business models in the 1990s, the bricks and mortar real estate has become highly sought-after among an ever-growing number of investors.

These investors possess the capital but often lack the operational know-how to run the properties themselves. And this has created space for third party management and advisory firms who can supply the necessary expertise.

The United States led the way, with so-called ‘white label’ management firms – including market leader Aimbridge Hospitality – becoming important players within the hotel sector. Now there’s a new name to add to that list: Aventra Hospitality. And one of the co-founders is a man who’ll need no introduction to the Glion alumni community: Ronald Homsy.

Already boasting a stellar track record in bringing innovative ideas and businesses to market, what draws a serial entrepreneur like Ronald to hospitality management and advisory?

“In the regions we are focusing on, there’s a growing trend among investors and hotel owners to transition away from Hotel Management Agreements (HMAs) to franchise contracts with brands. This has been a key objective for major hotel brands for some time, and it mirrors the trend that began in the US several years ago,” he explains.

“We’ve identified a significant gap in these markets for experienced and innovative providers like us”

“This strategy can be facilitated through a three-way contract between the hotel owner, the management company, and the brand. The latter serves as the franchisor and provides the property’s flag and brand name, while also bringing established distribution networks and loyalty programs. Our role is to deliver comprehensive management services, and we’ve identified a significant gap in these markets for experienced and innovative providers like us, who excel in delivering these services.”

Combine this with the outstanding growth potential for tourism and hospitality in these regions (see also our article on Africa with Richard Robaix), and the commercial opportunity is simply too great for a committed entrepreneur like Ronald to ignore.

“Let’s take Saudi Arabia as just one example,” he says. “In terms of tourism infrastructure, where was Saudi Arabia 10 years ago? And where is it today? Unrecognizable! And think where it’ll be 10 years down the line – the level of investment is stratospheric. All of these mega projects coming along, like the Red Sea development, Diriyah, AlUla, NEOM… the tourism ecosystem is going to be completely transformed.”

No slowdown in UAE

With Saudi Arabia experiencing rapid economic growth, Ronald anticipates sustained momentum in the UAE’s hotel market, which shows no sign of slowing down. The UAE, already a regional leader in hospitality development, continues to benefit from its strategic position as a global hub for tourism, business, and investment. Aventra Hospitality has strategically chosen to establish offices in Dubai, Riyadh, and London, positioning itself at the heart of key global and regional markets.

“As co-founders, Richard and I have different but very complementary skills,” says Ronald. “Richard knows the Middle East hotel market intimately, having spent almost 25 years there – the last five of which as CEO of two successful hotel companies. I bring more of a background in innovation, not least with the two companies I’ve built in the travel and hospitality technology space. We’re looking to add value by offering innovative and sustainable proposals that also play on our understanding of how the hotel business works.”

Drawing on their impeccable contact books, Ronald and Richard are already finalizing partnerships with major hospitality multinationals. However, Ronald points out that in many of the markets they are covering – notably in Central Asia – standalone hotels and chains are both popular directions for investors and developers to take.

“For investors who want to set up independently of an existing brand, we offer the complete ‘cradle-to-grave’ service: from conceptualizing the brand and property, through to choosing the optimal category and segment for the hotel, formulating distribution strategies, then handling the operational management of the property… right through to the exit strategy.”

The 24/7 entrepreneur

As he builds yet another business, what is it that continues to inspire Ronald’s entrepreneurial appetite?

“I’m just someone who is constantly coming up with ideas – I cannot help myself! I keep a notepad by my bedside because I’ll often wake up in the middle of the night with an idea, and I need somewhere to write it down or I’ll forget it by morning. I like creating concepts from scratch and I try to do things that will make a difference, however small. Lastly, I’m not afraid to fail – you cannot be an entrepreneur if you cannot bear to fail.”

In the past year or so, all this wisdom and experience has been put at the service of young student and alumni entrepreneurs from Glion, as Ronald has co-orchestrated the set-up of the Glion Alumni Accelerator competition. This was launched in 2023, under the auspices of the Alumni Association of Glion (AAG), for which he is Vice President.

As Ronald speaks with The Insider, the second running of the Accelerator is reaching its climax, with the finalists having been chosen and “Pitch Battle Day” set to take place on Glion campus on 27 November.

“I remember when I started out with my first restaurant project, a couple of years after I graduated from Glion,” he says. “There wasn’t really anybody around me who I could ask for advice, or mentorship. That’s what we are trying to do with the Accelerator – to help these new business founders develop their ideas, get funding, and avoid some of the mistakes I made through my inexperience.”

Reflecting on his newest startup, Ronald says that success for Aventra Hospitality would be to have around 100 hotels under management within a decade. But it’s not just about hard targets.

“Like I said before, I look at success as being about making a difference. In the way we do things; how we do things, in terms of our principles around innovation, sustainability, and elevating experiences. The hard work has already started, and we are both really excited to be embarking on this journey together.”

• To discover more about Aventra Hospitality, visit the website

Photo credit

No vacancy sign: Zachary Byer/Getty