Seen on hotelcontrol.com
The British InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) is planning to expand its capacities by 50,000 to 60,000 rooms by the end of 2008.
In 2006, the seven brands of the group, InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, Express by Holiday Inn, Indigo, Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites, comprised 3,741 hotels with 556,246 rooms altogether. These hotels generated a turnover of about € 1.2 billion. However, only 25 of these hotels are actually owned by InterContinental Hotels Group. The majority of hotels are operated under management and franchise agreements. In 2006, the group sold off 31 of its hotels in Europe to investors. The luxury brand InterContinental will be one of the main brands to be expanded: Currently, there are 36 hotels worldwide under development. Future locations in Europe include Davos, Kiev and Moscow. In the group is looking for a site in Munich. Furthermore, the opening of seven hotels of the Staybridge Suites brand is planned in the within this year. Thus, this brand will be represented in Europe for the first time.