BANYAN GROUP's Share Surge: Why Phuket Property Focus will Add More Fuel Ahead

The shares of Banyan Group, renowned for its Banyan Tree luxury resorts, have run up to 10-year highs in recent weeks, surging from around 40 cents to a 10-year high of 59 cents. Blog posts by The Lone Wolf Investor, which dived into the company's story, likely triggered chats on investor forums and heightened interest about Banyan's strong Phuket property sales, among other things. Laguna Phuket, developed by Banyan Group, offers more than 1,400 rooms and villas in 6 deluxe hotels. Banyan, as it has become clear, has a multi-year runway of monetising its extensive property landbank in Phuket, bought way back in the 1980s before Phuket became a global hotspot for tourism. Back in October 2024, The Edge Singapore produced a lengthy article heralding the new buoyant chapter that Banyan is moving into.

Banyan's first integrated resort in Phuket was Laguna Phuket, which eventually came to host six hospitality properties on what was once a barren, polluted tin mine.

As Eddy See, CEO of Banyan Group, tells The Edge, "There is still a lot more value to unlock here in Laguna," estimating US$4 billion to US$5 billion (about S$5.2 billion to S$6.5 billion) in potential over the next one to two decades.

Banyan Group works hand-in-hand with local authorities on infrastructure, tourism, and community projects to ensure everything stays eco-friendly and legal. "Our collaboration involves ongoing discussions regarding infrastructure improvements, tourism development and community arrangement initiatives," See explains in the article.

Laguna isn't just hotels—it's a full community drawing locals, tourists, and expats.

With six resorts, spas, galleries, and a golf course, it also boasts branded homes that sell at a premium but fly off the shelves.

International buyers are snapping them up as holiday pads, fueled by trends like escaping city life, global tensions, and Phuket's sunny vibe.

Photo: Annual Report 2024Ho Kwon Ping says in The Edge article: "We're seeing a huge demand for new homes in Phuket this year, due to a whole range of factors from trends such as urban flight, geopolitical issues and simply the fact that Phuket has become a great place to live with world-class international schools and hospitals and all the benefits of a year-round tropical lifestyle."

The company is shifting to an "asset-light" approach, keeping profitable legacy spots like those in Phuket while managing others for owners.

This means fewer owned properties and more fees from running hotels, similar to big chains like Marriott.

In Phuket, Banyan is building more homes, aiming to double the community size. New malls, schools, and clinics are popping up, boosting medical tourism too. The latest project: 

To mark Banyan Tree Phuket's 30th birthday, the group pledged THB30 million (S$1.17 million) for local sustainability efforts.

See stresses the need for a master plan along the Andaman Coast to handle overtourism and infrastructure woes.

"Looking ahead, we support the need for a master plan for the Andaman Coast that addresses over-tourism and infrastructure challenges. Our ongoing collaboration with local authorities is crucial to ensuring Laguna Phuket continues to contribute positively to the region's economic growth and social welfare," he says in The Edge article.

Banyan's 86% owned Laguna Resorts & Hotels has been steadily selling residential units in Phuket -- in addition to operating hotels.

It reported a strong first quarter in 2025, with profits more than 4X that of Banyan’s 1H2024 (S$6.2 million).

(Banyan did not report its own 1Q2025 results, so all eyes will be on its upcoming 1H2025 report).

On revenue of THB 2.7b (S$107 million) in 1Q2025 from hotel operations and property development, Laguna Resorts & Hotels produced THB 680m (S$27 million) in net profit.

See also: BANYAN GROUP: Phuket Project Pipeline Powers Stock Resurgence