Anurag Alluri’s entrepreneurial journey is deeply rooted in execution, scale, and ground-level hospitality operations. Before founding YOJO, Anurag spent over three years at OYO, one of India’s most disruptive hospitality companies, where he grew through leadership roles including Tirupati MMCEO and later South India Sales Head. It was during this phase that he witnessed how structure, SOPs, and trust systems could transform a fragmented market into a scalable business. At the same time, he also observed a massive gap OYO was not solving the unorganized farmhouse and private villa segment.
Farmhouses were booming in demand for family getaways, celebrations, and corporate outings, yet the booking experience remained broken. Customers faced frequent frauds, last-minute cancellations, quality mismatches, and zero accountability after advance payments. Owners, on the other hand, struggled with inconsistent demand and credibility. This problem statement stayed with Anurag long after his OYO stint ended and eventually became the foundation of YOJO.
Founded in Hyderabad and incubated at T-Hub, YOJO is Anurag Alluri’s attempt to do for farmstays what structured hospitality platforms did for hotels without killing the soul of private stays. YOJO is India’s first dedicated, structured marketplace for verified farmhouses, villas, and experiential stays. The platform brings together affordability, variety, and trust under one roof.
Anurag’s OYO experience strongly influences YOJO’s operating philosophy. Every property on YOJO is physically verified, quality-checked, and aligned with clear pricing and booking policies. Owners are onboarded through relationships, not listings alone.
“The biggest lesson from OYO was simple,” Anurag says. “Scale only works when trust and SOPs are non-negotiable.” At YOJO, once a booking is confirmed, it remains protected even during peak seasons like New Year’s Eve.
What sets YOJO apart is its wide experiential range. Customers can choose from budget farmhouses to premium Bali-style villas, Kerala homes, wooden cottages, lake-view and hill-view retreats. This flexibility makes YOJO suitable for every use case weekend getaways, birthdays, weddings, corporate offsites, team outings, and large celebrations. Amenities like swimming pools, box cricket, pickleball courts, and event-ready spaces are built into the discovery experience.
Anurag has also positioned YOJO strongly in the events and group travel category, where farmhouses naturally outperform hotels. This focus has helped YOJO build a strong demand base among startups, families, and enterprises alike. Growth has been driven through credibility-first marketing, creator collaborations, and word-of-mouth rather than heavy discounting.
Today, YOJO stands at the intersection of hospitality, technology, and trust. With strong advisors, growing revenues, and a clear SOP-led roadmap, Anurag Alluri is now focused on expanding YOJO beyond Hyderabad and building India’s most trusted private-stay marketplace. From OYO to YOJO, the journey reflects not just a career move, but a founder’s conviction to organize what was once chaotic and build a category that lasts.
