Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express expand in Europe

Region welcomes the opening of 16 Holiday Inn brand family properties

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) continues the growth of its Holiday Inn brand family (Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express) throughout Europe, with the region welcoming 2,337 new rooms from one of the world’s most recognised hotel brands, now in its 60th year.

In the first half of 2012, IHG opened 16 Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express hotels across Europe, and signed 10.

Holiday Inn hotels were opened in United Kingdom, Germany, France, Spain, Turkey, Ukraine and Poland. IHG also signed Holiday Inn hotels in United Kingdom, Algeria and Azerbaijan.

Holiday Inn Express hotels were opened in United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, Turkey, Portugal. IHG also signed Holiday Inn Express hotels in United Kingdom, Turkey and the Netherlands.

IHG’s Chief Development Officer Europe, Robert Shepherd said the growth of the Holiday Inn brand family demonstrated the strength of the brand for both owners and guests.

“Holiday Inn Express is one of the fastest growing midscale hotel brands, and these openings and signings are a testament to the strength and winning formula the brand offers owners. Holiday Inn Express is a great hotel choice for guests on the go. It offers guests exactly what they need - a great night’s sleep in a quality hotel and a free breakfast. Every year 100 million people stay at Holiday Inn or Holiday Inn Express hotels around the world - guests know they can expect a consistent, refreshed experience at an affordable price in any of our hotels.”

Robert Shepherd said both Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express would lead IHG’s growth in Europe.

“Expanding in Europe is one of our priorities and there’s plenty of room to grow. There’s strong demand among owners and investors for a solid conversion product like Holiday Inn Express as opportunities for new builds in Europe are rare. And among consumers there’s demand for a consistently good midscale offering.”

IHG is focusing on building a presence in main centres throughout the region. Two Holiday Inn hotels were opened in London – Holiday Inn London Stratford City and Holiday Inn London Gatwick-Worth - and another two were signed – Holiday Inn London Wembley and Holiday Inn Express London-Excel. IHG also opened a new build Holiday Inn in Berlin, and the brand pipeline expanded in Paris, Istanbul, Lisbon, Amsterdam, Kiev and Algiers.

Three of the hotels – Holiday Inn Kiev, Holiday Inn Algiers and Holiday Inn Express Istanbul – are under management contracts with IHG. The remaining hotels will operate under franchise agreements.

As at 30 June, there are 494 Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express properties throughout Europe, with 53 in the pipeline. Globally, there are 3,389 Holiday Inn and Holiday Express hotels, with 698 in the global pipeline.

IHG’s Europe pipeline expanded by 2,900 rooms in the first half of 2012

17 hotels (2,964 rooms) were added to IHG’s overall European pipeline since the start of 2012. The hotels will operate across the IHG family of brands, InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, Hotel Indigo, Staybridge Suites, as well as Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express. The new hotels will open in the UK, Russia, Turkey, the Netherlands, Spain, Israel, Algeria and Azerbaijan.