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IHG Hotels and Resorts has revealed it is making good progress against its 2021 growth strategy for Holiday Inn Express in Europe.
IHG said the “trusted, essential brand offers a wide variety of conversion and new-build development options and appeals to guests across both the corporate travel and leisure markets”.
The brand continues to grow at pace globally, including 277 Holiday Inn Express hotels operating in Europe and IHG confirmed it has over 60 more to open in the next 3-5 years.
Despite the recent challenges the industry has faced, IHG added it signed 11 new Holiday Inn Express properties across Europe in 2020, which complements its 17 European openings for the same period.
It added that leisure signings and openings are a “key focus” for the brand in 2021, with Holiday Inn Express Ajaccio France and Holiday Inn Express – Brussels Grand Palace due to open later this summer.
Some of the most recent Holiday Inn Express openings in the UK include:
Holiday Inn Express Bodmin – Victoria Junction IHG’s first branded hotel to enter the predominantly leisure destination of Cornwall. The 70-room hotel is part of a newly developed service station and is adjacent to a variety of restaurants, retail shops and other facilities.
The brand also opened the Holiday Inn Express Liverpool – Duke Street. The dual-branded property with IHG’s Hotel Indigo brand, is located in the heart of the city with easy access to the mainline railway station.
Willemijn Geels, VP Development, Europe, said: “At IHG Hotels & Resorts, we take pride in the continued growth of our brands, and so I am delighted to see Holiday Inn Express entering new European leisure destinations which is a key focus for us this year.
“From airport and motorway locations to city centres, seaside locations and the opportunity to convert alongside new build opportunities, the brand delivers a consistent and reliable guest offer that has been resilient throughout Covid-19.”
She added: “These signings and openings show the continued trust our owners and partners place in IHG and our brands. We’re truly excited to watch these properties come to life, and welcome more in the future.”
