Daring To Be Different

A new generation of hoteliers are deviating from traditional hotel models, opting instead for spaces and properties that are deeply personal and that encourage depth of connection

- Coco Marett

BIG TINY

SMALL BUT MIGHTY

Jeff Yeo, Dave Ng and Adrian Chia

You’ve seen them all over TikTok and Instagram—cosy, compact “tiny homes”, often fashioned from trailers and shipping containers. But what started as a creative solution to rising real estate costs around the world has quickly become a key disruptor in the way people travel.

Travellers have fallen under the tiny home spell, as these minimalist accommodations often allow them to stay comfortably in locations where they otherwise would never have the chance to—be it on a secluded hilltop in rural New Zealand or at the heart of an Australian rainforest.

In 2017, friends-turned-business partners Jeff Yeo, Dave Ng and Adrian Chia founded Tiny Away, a collection of tiny home holiday rentals. They started in Australia and New Zealand, where they now have more than 200 properties.

“We discovered that rural landowners had these large plots of land but were utilising only 20 to 30 per cent of it. The rest is just sitting there, wasted,” says Yeo, who adds that the trio saw an opportunity to introduce a sustainable secondary source of income. “We pitched the idea to them to host our tiny homes on their unused land, so they get some rental revenue from this tourism business.”

They also partner with local farmers to curate exclusive experiences, like horseback riding, fruit picking and private wine tours.

Recently, the trio brought the concept to Asia under the name Big Tiny, with tiny houses in Malaysia, Taiwan and, most recently, on Lazarus Island in Singapore.