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Hotel chain Travelodge has announced that it will target key port locations across the UK in a bid to capitalise on the growing interest in cruise holidays.
Announced at the opening of its new Southampton West Quay hotel, located next to Southampton Port, Travelodge said that it is looking for 14 new sites, representing an investment of £84m.
The UK is currently the largest cruise market in Europe and the second largest in the world. Recent figures from the Department of Transport found that the number of UK international sea passengers numbered 22.4 million in 2013.
Travelodge currently has 516 hotels in the UK, Ireland and Spain with 48 of its properties located in the vicinities of ports. It said its port-based properties have reported a 9% increase in occupancy during the last 12 months.
Paul Harvey, managing director of property at the company, said: “To support this growing holiday trend, we are looking for a further 14 new hotel sites at UK’s busiest port locations. This includes another site in Southampton, Portsmouth, Plymouth, Liverpool, Newcastle and Harwich.”
The £6m, 94-bedroom, Southampton West Quay has boosted Travelodge’s presence in Southampton to three hotels.
