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How ZUZU Helps Independent Hotels Boost Revenue & Cut Costs

Vikram Malhi, Co-Founder & CEO, ZUZU Hospitality

26-May-25 10:00

How ZUZU Helps Independent Hotels Boost Revenue & Cut Costs

ZUZU Hospitality is a tech-enabled revenue platform helping independent hotels digitise, optimise, and compete in a travel ecosystem dominated by big brands and OTAs. With over 2,500 hotels onboarded across Southeast Asia and India, and US$30 million raised to date, the startup is taking on a global challenge: making tech work for small players in a highly fragmented, competitive industry.

In this episode of Open For Business, co-founder and CEO Vikram Malhi, formerly Managing Director at Expedia Asia, shares how ZUZU helps hotels level up through a performance-based model that bundles tech, channel optimization, and OTA expertise. He reflects on building during a pandemic, near-term profitability, and his vision to help 10,000 hotels scale in the AI era.

We also dive into:

  • The staggering size of the independent hotel market

  • Why most small hotels struggle with OTA (online travel agent) optimization

  • ZUZU’s automation-first approach to revenue and operations

  • How AI powers guest comms, reviews, and pricing decisions

  • Growth plans and what it’ll take to scale beyond 8 figures

Produced by: Roshan Kanesan, Carol Wong

Presented by: Roshan Kanesan


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Categories:  marketsmanagingeconomyCorporatestravelentrepreneurs

Tags:  startup Asiaindependent hotelstravel techhospitalitysaas





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