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Event Hospitality & Entertainment Limited (EVENT) today announced it has acquired 50% of popular New Zealand pod-hotel group Jucy Snooze. Under the joint venture, Jucy Snooze will be the first budget accommodation brand to join the Group, sitting alongside EVENT’s current stable of hotels and resorts across Australia and New Zealand that includes the Rydges, QT and Atura brands.

Jucy Snooze provides micro-accommodation in the form of unique capsule-style sleeping pods, along with shared, private, ensuite and family rooms.  The self-contained Snooze Pods were custom designed following extensive research into the specific needs of the budget-conscious traveller. The innovative pods feature a privacy blind, USB charging port, luggage storage locker, power supply, lighting, temperature control, WiFi connection and linen – everything required to meet the expectations of travellers.

A disruptor to the budget travel segment, Jucy Snooze entered the accommodation market in 2012. The innovative concept has resonated with budget travellers including families, global adventurers, young travellers and retirees. Current Jucy Snooze locations include Christchurch (144 Snooze Pods, 61 Ensuite rooms; queen, twin or family), Queenstown (196 Snooze Pods, 37 Ensuite rooms; queen, twin or quad), and a new Auckland property due to open mid-2020.

Properties also feature the latest tech integrations and on-site restaurants and bars, thoughtfully designed for both travellers and adventurous locals.

Jucy CEO Tim Alpe said the deal is significant as it will allow the company to accelerate the expansion of the chain throughout New Zealand, Australia and beyond: “The EVENT team brings significant experience in hotel development, operations, procurement, and food and beverage, as well as expertise to expand across Australia and beyond with their desire for growth.

“Without this investment, our expansion would have been slower, but we now aim to expand the Jucy Snooze offering over the next five years to cater for the growing demand for this product offering. We have been wanting to move into the Australian market for some time; the locations of new hotels will be aligned with the distribution of our vehicle rental fleet, to provide a more seamless travel experience for the target market,” he said.

Jane Hastings, CEO of Event Hospitality and Entertainment said, “We are excited to partner with Jucy Snooze and help drive its expansion, while opening up a new growth segment for the EVENT Group. This new partnership places EVENT at the forefront of the budget accommodation market segment, and together we will work closely to expand and grow the brand throughout Australasia and other parts of the world, utilising our expertise and relationships.”