Dafam takes giant strides in hospitality, property development

In a span of four years, Billy Dahlan, president and CEO of family-owned Dafam Group, has taken giant strides and grown the company into a diversified hospitality management and property development group.

"In 2010, we saw enormous market prospects for economic and mid-scale hotels in Indonesia," Dahlan says. "We initially focused on second-tier cities, like Semarang and Pekalongan, where there is potential left untapped by major hotel operators."

Dafam started with two properties in 2010 - Hotel Dafam Semarang and Hotel Marlin Pekalongan - and now owns and operates five hotels and manages 35 hotels. Managed by subsidiary Dafam Hotel Management, the properties range from basic budget hotels to high-end, luxurious hotels strategically located in major and small cities across Indonesia. Operated under the Dafam Express, Meotel, Hotel Dafam and Grand Dafam brands, Dafam hotels are known for their extensive leisure and business travellers' facilities, state-of-the-art meeting rooms and on-site restaurants.

"Our focus is on delivering top-notch quality service and value for money, primarily catering to the country's growing middle class," Dahlan says.

The company has 21 projects in its pipeline, including the Grand Dafam Lampung and Banjarbaru, scheduled for soft opening in October.

Dafam has also expanded into property development, which was officially launched in 2012 under the supervision of subsidiary Dafam Property Indonesia (Dafamland). Dafamland is working on four projects: Jatayu Residence Pekalongan, Gaia Residence Semarang and Batang, Grand Dafam Condotel and Lifestyle Mall Palembang. Its near-term plans also include the construction of shopping malls and convention centres, and the development of an industrial estate in central Java.