Worldhotels adds a record 73 new hotels in 2010
Worldhotels, one of the leading groups of independent hotels worldwide, enjoyed an immensely successful 2010 with a record number of 73 hotels with a total of 20,000 rooms joining the group.
This represents stronger growth than ever before in the 40-year history of the company and a 35 per cent increase on the number of hotels admitted in 2009. The new additions, many of which are in new destinations, bring the total number of the group’s affiliate hotels to more than 450 in 65 countries.
In total, 363 hotels applied for affiliation, with the small percentage of acceptances underlining the group’s comprehensive set of requirements. In line with its ambitious expansion plans, Worldhotels plans to add a further 80 properties worldwide in 2011.
“2010 was an incredibly successful year for Worldhotels. Not only did demand for affiliation reach an all time high, but we were also able to add many new key destinations to our portfolio,” says Ingo Gürges, Vice President Development of Worldhotels.
“We see several reasons for this demand. Certainly, independent hotels are increasingly popular with travellers as trends show that guests want a unique, authentic experience that standardised chain hotels can rarely offer. Such growing demand results in independent hotels needing a strong partner, which can provide them with a globalised approach to sales, marketing, distribution and individual support, as well as future-proof technology systems on all levels. In addition, we have proven ourselves to be a reliable partner with strong return on investments for our affiliate hotels, especially during the challenging months of the industry crisis.”
Results show that an affiliation with Worldhotels significantly increases the business potential for a hotel. The Othon group in Brazil, for instance, joined Worldhotels in July 2010 with five hotels and quickly experienced considerable growth in revenue. "After just three months with Worldhotels, our international business had already grown by 40 per cent," said Tomas Ramos, commercial director of the Othon group.
The affiliate properties to join Worldhotels in 2010 include 35 new hotels in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), 19 new properties in North and South America and 19 in the Asia Pacific region.
Among the latest additions are the Morrison Hotel in Dublin, Ireland; The K Hotel in Bahrain; The Grand City Hotel in Dresden, Germany; the Sunset Marquis and Villas in Los Angeles, USA; the Beacon Hotel in Washington DC, USA, and the Zhangjiajie Sunshine Hotel & Resort in Zhangjiajie, China.