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Karma Group
Company typeResorts
IndustryHospitality
Founded1993; 31 years ago (1993) in Goa, India
FounderJohn Spence
Headquarters
Bali, Indonesia
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
John Spence (Chairman)
ProductsFractional Ownership
Websitekarmagroup.com

Karma Group is an international hotel and resort company owned by English entrepreneur & hotelier, John Spence.[1] It currently operates 44 properties worldwide,[2] its first property, Karma Royal Beach Club, opening in South Goa in 1996.[3][4]

History

John Spence (born 23rd February 1961) is a British-born founder and chairman of the Karma Group—an international boutique luxury hotel and resort group.[5] In the 1980s, John worked as a tour agent for several bands including Culture Club, the Eurythmics, and Bananarama.[6] Aged 24, he started selling property in Tenerife for Global Group. In 1993, he founded Royal Resorts and developed his first resort in Goa. He was awarded EY Entrepreneur Award in 2010 and 2011.[7] He is the co-owner of Perth Glory.[8]

In 2021, John Spence co-authored "Next Generation Tourism" with Henry Squire and Patrick Bellew at the Yale School of Architecture. The book examines sustainable design and material use, with a focus on ecological strategies and emerging tourism models in Gili Meno, Indonesia, addressing sustainable development in sensitive island ecosystems.[9] John has fellowships at Yale University and UCLA.

John Spence founded the company Royal Resorts in 1993,[5] with the group's first property purchased in Goa after Spence identified what he believed was a development opportunity on the west coast of India. The company sold fractional ownership in these Goa properties directly to India's middle class. Accelerated growth started when the company targeted large numbers of affluent expatriate Indians living in Dubai and Oman. Increased revenues allowed Royal Resorts to expand and build more properties in the region, firstly under the Royal Resorts brand in Indonesia, (Karma Royal Candidasa, Karma Royal Jimbaran, Karma Royal Sanur) in the late 90s, and then under the Karma Resorts brand with the first property, Karma Jimbaran, opening on the island of Bali in 2005.[3][4]

By the end of the 1990s, the company had opened 70 sales offices worldwide. In 2003, the group launched the Karma Resorts brand as part of a revamped, five-star offering.[4]

The company continued to add properties to its portfolio, notably in Greece (Crete and Mykonos), Indonesia (Bali, Lombok, Java), India (Kerala and Jaipur), Germany (Bavaria), France (St Tropez and Carcassonne), and the Isles of Scilly (si-lee).[10][11]

In 2008, Karma Kandara was completed. The multi-award-winning development on Billionaire Row in the south of Bali with 78 Infinity Pool Villas. With its own private beach and Karma Beach opened.

In 2013, John Spence acquired the historically notable Cote D'Azur chateau, Le Preverger, once the home of UK designer Laura Ashley, and added the property to the Karma portfolio.[10]

In 2014, John Spence acquired the rights for Karma Rottnest on Rottnest Island, West Australia, off the coast of Perth.

In 2017, Karma Group entered into an agreement with Sanctum Hotels Group. The partnership is part of a five-year plan to expand the Group's holdings to 60 resorts.[2]

In 2018, Karma Group opened new resorts in Thailand (Karma Apsara) and Vietnam (Karma Song Hoia).

In 2019, it announced the opening of Karma Sitabani, in the Jim Corbett National Park, part of the Corbett Tiger Reserve, in Uttarakhand in Northern India.[12]

In December 2020, the company acquired Salford Hall (in the Cotswolds, Great Britain), near Stratford on Avon, which dates back to 1487.[13]

In 2021, Karma Group expanded its operations in Spain by acquiring real estate in Andalusia.[14]

In 2022 the company acquired Lake of Menteith Hotel in Stirlingshire, expanding its operations to Scotland.[15]

In 2022 the group expanded to include Karma Munnar (Munnar, India),[16] Karma Lake of Menteith (Stirling, Scotland).

Karma Resorts managed the Karma Rottnest lodge on Rottnest Island in WA Australia, until 2022, when it was handed back to the WA Government.

Karma Resorts sponsored the Rottnest Channel Swim and were naming sponsors from 2015 to 2018.[17][18]

In 2022, Karma Group took control of a Nile River Boat, Karma Karnak, which provides Nile cruises for its members. In 2023, land-based accommodation in Sharm El Sheik was also acquired, called Karma Sobek.

In 2023, Karma Group has also revived Karma Margaret River resort.[19] It also added Karma Martam Retreat (Sikkim, India).[20][21]

In 2023, Karma Kandara was extended with the Mentari Residences, 58 1 and 2 bedroom apartments in a 4-level apartment block. This is the first apartment block of 3 more that are currently in development.

In 2024, Karma Group took control of a luxury Maldives Boat, Karma Fushi, with 16 luxuriously appointed cabins taking members on 4-7 day trips across the Maldives.

In 2024, Karma Group acquired a 36-room resort in Siem Reap, Cambodia, Karma Bayon.

As of 2024, Karma Group has properties in 27 locations.[5] Over 160,000 Club Members, and over 3,500 Staff Members.

Pipeline and In Development Projects include: Gili Meno (Lombok), Palawan (Philippines), Hakuba (Japan), Bahamas, Jimbaran (Bali), Mykonos (Greece), Sri Lanka, and Goa.

Karma Boutique now offers a variety of Karma Branded products such as Wines, Gin, Whisky, Olive Oil, Spa products, and Condoms.

Public activities

Karma Group has been supporting Christel House India, a charity that supports inner city children from Bangalore since 2001 and supports similar initiatives in Bali and Vietnam.[22][23][24][25]

In 2020–2021 during the Covid pandemic, Karma Group spearheaded vaccination drives in India and Indonesia for staff, their families, and community and also provided food donations to affected communities. Within the Karma Mayday initiative, the company teamed up with HRH the Prince of Wales Trust to provide oxygen equipment for India.[26]

In 2022, after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Karma group set up Karma Refuge, which provides shelter and support to those fleeing the conflict.[25][27]

References

  1. ^ "Red tape, costs give hotel developers the holiday blues". Financial Review. 2017-02-20. Retrieved 2017-06-19.
  2. ^ a b Green, Harriet (2017-02-06). "Meet the luxury travel boss doubling the size of his business in five years". Retrieved 2017-06-19.
  3. ^ a b Cain, Alexandra (2011-09-07). "Tourism industry comes full circle". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2017-06-19.
  4. ^ a b c Bolshaw, Liz (2011-06-13). "Financial Times". Financial Times. Retrieved 2017-06-19.
  5. ^ a b c "John Spence, Chairman and Founder - KarmaGroup". www.fortuneindia.com. 2019-09-02. Retrieved 2023-07-26.
  6. ^ "John Spence, the Karma chameleon who emerged from Culture Club | The West Australian". thewest.com.au. Retrieved 2024-01-02.
  7. ^ Khosla, Varuni (2023-10-23). "Members-only hotels group Karma to invest $100 million". mint. Retrieved 2023-12-13.
  8. ^ "Man City Deal For Perth Glory". FTBL. Retrieved 2024-01-02.
  9. ^ Spence, John; Squire, Henry; Bellew, Patrick (2021). Next Generation Tourism: Touching the Ground Lightly. Yale School of Architecture. ISBN 978-1-948765-93-0.
  10. ^ a b Cillins, Britt (2014-07-30). "Le Preverger: King of the Hill". www.billionaire.com. Retrieved 2017-06-19.
  11. ^ St Martin's, Karma (27 August 2014). "Karma St Martins". The Caterer. Retrieved 2017-06-19.
  12. ^ "Karma Group Announces Karma Sitabani". BW Hotelier. Retrieved 2023-07-26.
  13. ^ India, Team Sommelier (2021-10-28). "When you give good, you get good. That's Karma". Retrieved 2023-07-26.
  14. ^ "Karma Group signs for first property in Spain". breakingtravelnews.
  15. ^ Hunter, Dave (2022-01-20). "Karma Group in Scottish debut". sltn.co.uk. Retrieved 2023-07-26.
  16. ^ admin (2022-03-04). "Karma Group introduces Karma Munnar, a Southern Indian escape". Travel Trade Journal. Retrieved 2023-07-26.
  17. ^ "Swim will ensure our Bryce lives on". PerthNow. 2016-01-03. Retrieved 2023-07-26.
  18. ^ "'Out there' — Swimwear with style". PerthNow. 2015-02-16. Retrieved 2023-07-26.
  19. ^ "Karma Group revives Margaret River resort plans". Business News. 2023-04-05. Retrieved 2023-07-26.
  20. ^ Fimela.com (2023-05-31). "Destinasi Menarik di Himalaya, Karma Martam di Sikkim bisa Jadi Pilihan Retreat yang Spektakuler". fimela.com (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2023-07-26.
  21. ^ "Himalayan Retreat Karma Martam Opens in Spectacular Sikkim - 86121". www.luxurytravelmagazine.com. Retrieved 2023-07-26.
  22. ^ "Camp Royal - A holiday of a lifetime for students of Christel House India - Bangalore". christelhouse.org. Retrieved 2023-07-26.
  23. ^ "Karma Group Celebrates 26 Years in India | Hospitality Talk". 2019-06-20. Retrieved 2023-07-26.
  24. ^ "Karma Group creates scholarship for Christel House". rci-ventures. 2018-12-17. Retrieved 2023-07-26.
  25. ^ a b "UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH JOHN SPENCE OF KARMA GROUP RESORT". whatsnewindonesia.com. 2023-07-01. Retrieved 2023-07-26.
  26. ^ BaliPictureNews (2022-02-09). "Karma Group Introduces Its Innovative Bali Vaccine Booster Campaign". Bali Picture News. Retrieved 2023-07-26.
  27. ^ Singh, Varsha (2022-03-10). "Karma Group to shelter Ukrainian refugees in Europe". INDIA OUTBOUND. Retrieved 2023-07-26.
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