John Spence (businessman)

John Spence (born 23 February 1961) is a British-born founder and chairman of the Karma Group, an international boutique luxury hotel and resort group. In 1980s, Spence worked as a manager for several bands including Culture Club, the Eurythmics, and Bananarama. In 1993, he founded Royal Resorts and developed the first resort in Goa. He was awarded EY Entrepreneur Award in 2010 and 2011. He is the co-owner of Perth Glory.

In 2021, Spence co-authored "Next Generation Tourism" with Henry Squire and Patrick Bellew at the Yale School of Architecture. The book examines sustainable design and material use, with a focus on ecological strategies and emerging tourism models in Gili Meno, Indonesia, addressing sustainable development in sensitive island ecosystems.

Life
Spence was born in England. His family worked in the aviation and tourism industries. In 1980, Spence studied at York University but dropped out after a few terms to become a guitarist. After failing as a musician, Spence worked as an agent and tour manager for several bands, such as Culture Club, the Eurythmics, and Bananarama.

Since the age of twenty, he has spent most of his life on the road and in hotels, traveling for business and pleasure all over the world.

In 1984, he became involved in the hotel business in Tenerife, Canary Islands, with Global Hotel Alliance.

In 1993, during a travel conference in India, he decided to resign from his position, liquidate his savings and sell his residence in London.

In 1993, Spence used all his funds to found Royal Resorts and develop his first resort in Goa, India coastline. By the end of the 1990s, the company had opened 70 sales offices worldwide. In 1996, First Royal Resort opens (Karma Royal Benaulim).

In 2005, Spence rebranded the company to Karma Group – an international boutique luxury hospitality brand. Spence owns 100% of the company. In that year he moved to Perth.

Spence served as a commissioner on the West Australian Tourism Board from 2006 to March 2010.

In 2010 and 2011, he won Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards.

In 2015, the University of California honored Spence by awarding him a Distinguished Visiting Fellowship in the Department of Architecture and Urban Design.

During COVID-19, as part of the Karma Mayday initiative, Spence teamed up with HRH The Prince of Wales Trust to provide oxygen equipment to India.

In its 32nd edition from 2018, Hotelier Indonesia highlighted that under the guidance of Spence, the Karma Group engaged in collaborations with various architects and designers to upgrade and establish new properties. The partnership with P-A-T-T-E-R-N-S Architects resulted in the development of projects like Karma Sanctum, Bali, and the addition of the Karma Beach Club to the Karma Kandara property.

In 2019, Spence has been awarded the Eward P. Bass Honorary Fellowship at Yale University's School of Architecture. This marked the first occasion on which Yale conferred this honor upon an individual for a second time.

Personal life
Spence is a close friend of Dylan Hartley, the former captain of the England rugby union team who played for England and the Northampton Saints.