Image: The first Maai spa opened earlier this year

Thailand-based hotel management company ONYX Hospitality Group is to expand rapidly in the Asian market, after setting itself a target of operating 51 properties in the region by 2018.

As part of the plans, Onyx will roll out its Amari brand in India and the Middle East, while entering Sri Lanka in 2014 with its new select service brand, OZO.

The group has already secured contracts for eight new hotels - three Amari-branded, full-service hotels in Qatar, India and Thailand; four OZO hotels – two in Sri Lanka, one each in Hong Kong and Thailand; and a luxury, Oriental Residence-branded resort in Bangkok.

The announcement comes just months after the group launched two new spa brands to support its hotel portfolio.

Maai, the full service spa brand, targets the more high-end, spa savvy customers, while Breeze is a "four-star" spa offering marketed as a "fun" brand and designed to make the spa journey more approachable - especially to those who have never been to a spa.

The two brand-strategy is part of Onyx's plans to better cater for developers and property companies looking to include a spa offer as part of their Onyx-managed and branded hotels.

At Breeze, Onyx will use Panpuri and Comfort Zone products alongside the Breeze-branded line and at Maai both ILA and Darphin products will be available.

ONYX Hospitality group president and CEO Peter Henley said: "2012 is an important year for ONYX, as we are taking our first steps as a company into three new markets.

"In 2013 we will also be welcoming guests to our first ever OZO property in Hong Kong, paving the way for several further OZO projects in the near future.

"Our expansion plans into the Middle East and India present a great opportunity for us to take advantage of growing domestic visitor numbers, while plans to expand our offering into Sri Lanka will ensure we have a foothold in one of the world's fastest-growing tourism destinations.

"A fundamental part of our expansion strategy is to develop operations in a geographical area stretching from the Middle East to China and Australia, ensuring logistical and operational control from our Bangkok headquarters."