Our Founders
A Message from Our Founders
As Banyan Group grows across a global portfolio of one hundred destinations, we believe travel should not only explore the world, but care for it — creating lasting value for people, places and communities.
31 years, 100 hotels and resorts worldwide.
Mandai Rainforest Resort by Banyan Tree — Banyan Group's 100th hotel, and its first in Singapore — is more than just another opening. It is a homecoming, a tracing of our roots, and a continuation of our mission to make travel a force for good.
Ho KwonPing
Chairman, Banyan Group
From One Vision to 100 Possibilities
In 2025, Banyan Group reached an important milestone with one hundred hotels and resorts worldwide. The significance, however, lies not in the number itself, but in what it represents — how a founding vision has taken shape across diverse destinations, and the ecosystems and communities that sustain them.
That vision began more than three decades ago with the restoration of an abandoned tin mine in Phuket. What emerged from that project was not simply a resort, but a belief that hospitality should do more than occupy a place. It should restore, protect and strengthen the destinations in which it operates.
From that beginning, Banyan Group’s founding ethos of Embracing the Environment, Empowering People has guided how we design, develop and operate our properties around the world. Since then, we have continued to pioneer approaches that place care, resilience and long-term thinking at the heart of hospitality.
From our first resort in Phuket to the opening of Mandai Rainforest Resort by Banyan Tree as the Group’s 100th milestone and our first in Singapore, this philosophy continues to shape how we engage with landscapes, cultures and communities.
Sustainability As a Business Imperative
For over three decades, sustainability has been integral to how Banyan Group operates and creates value. From the outset, we have understood that long-term business success is inseparable from the wellbeing of the destinations in which we operate.
Through regenerative design, renewable energy integration and more resource-efficient operations, we are working to reduce environmental impact while improving resilience across the portfolio. Priorities such as emissions reduction, water stewardship, waste management and biodiversity protection are becoming more deeply embedded in how we design, develop and operate our properties.
This is not only the right thing to do. It is also essential to remaining relevant, resilient and responsible in a world increasingly shaped by environmental and social change. In this context, sustainability is not separate from business performance — it is part of how long-term value is protected and created.
Governance, Transparency and Long-term Value
As Banyan Group continues to grow, so too does the responsibility that comes with it. Every new destination represents not only an opportunity to grow, but also a commitment to the natural and cultural landscapes that sustain our business.
We believe that long-term value must be built with care, accountability and a clear sense of purpose. This means continuing to strengthen the way sustainability is embedded across our business, while ensuring that our growth remains aligned with the values that have guided us from the beginning.
What began as a single vision has grown into a global portfolio shaped by many landscapes, cultures and communities. As we continue to expand, our responsibility is to ensure that every new destination remains true to that vision while creating enduring value for people, nature and the long-term resilience of the business.
Claire Chiang
Chairperson, Banyan Global Foundation
Stewardship Across a Hundred Possibilities
Behind each of the hundred hotels and resorts in Banyan Group’s global portfolio lies something less visible but equally important — the communities, traditions and ecosystems that give each place its meaning.
As our presence grows across continents and cultures, so too does our responsibility to ensure that tourism contributes positively to the places we are privileged to be part of. Each destination represents not only an opportunity for travel, but also a possibility for renewal, connection and meaningful impact.
Guided by our founding ethos of Embracing the Environment, Empowering People, we continue to work alongside local communities to strengthen cultural heritage, support livelihoods and care for the natural systems that sustain our destinations.
Communities and Cultural Heritage
Partnerships with local communities remain central to how we bring our purpose to life. Through the Banyan Global Foundation and initiatives such as Banyan Gallery, we support artisans, social enterprises and local partners in preserving traditional crafts while creating sustainable livelihoods.
These partnerships go beyond preservation — they strengthen local economies, foster inclusion and ensure that cultural traditions continue to evolve with relevance and dignity. Our associates also play an active role in supporting communities, from environmental conservation to youth mentorship and cultural programmes.
Across our destinations, guests, associates and community partners come together through shared experiences that deepen understanding of place. These moments of participation reflect our belief that meaningful travel should foster connection, awareness and care for the world around us.
Carrying the Vision Forward
As we continue to expand into new destinations, our challenge is not only to grow, but to remain true to the values that have guided us from the beginning.
From one vision has emerged one hundred possibilities, each shaped by its own landscape, culture and community. Together, they reflect the many ways hospitality can create value far beyond the guest experience.
Looking ahead, we remain guided by the belief that hospitality can be a force for good — where every destination becomes an opportunity to nurture people, protect nature and honour the cultures that make each place unique. In doing so, we hope to continue turning one founding vision into many more meaningful possibilities for generations to come.