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InterContinental Hotels Group has announced it will open four Express by Holiday Inn properties in South Africa, with the first expected later this year in Cape Town with a 161 room capacity. This will be shortly followed by Express by Holiday Inn Sandton Woodmead and Express by Holiday Inn Pretoria Sunny Park in early 2008, with 160 and 300 rooms respectively. Express by Holiday Inn Umhlanga is also planned to open in 2009.
InterContinental Hotels Group has an exclusive agreement with ISO Leisure, a leisure development company based in South Africa, to develop Express by Holiday Inn hotels in South Africa. The Express by Holiday Inn brand, which provides quality accommodation for the budget conscious business and leisure traveller, addresses the recognised need for internationally-branded limited service accommodation. All planned Express by Holiday Inn hotels will be located in South Africa’s business hubs or in areas of high traffic flow.
Ewan Cameron, Vice President Development, InterContinental Hotels Group, Africa, said, “The announcement of the four Express by Holiday Inn properties in South Africa is indicative of our confidence in the country’s economic prospects and stability, and in particular, the high potential of its tourism industry. The limited service sector will be increasingly important across the country over the next few years as the market matures and diversifies to accommodate a burgeoning new tier of traveller looking for a smart, fresh, welcoming place to stay and of course value for money.”
Iso Leisure chief executive, Gavin Watson, said that the opening of the Express by Holiday Inn properties in South Africa sets a milestone in the development of the country’s leisure industry.
“Tourism is the world’s fastest growing industry. With its high economic multipliers, for developing countries like ours, it is uniquely placed to stimulate economic growth, substantial and sustainable employment creation, as well as infrastructure development and foreign exchange earnings.
“Our partnership with IHG also yields invaluable access to its global network of unrivalled reservation systems and the world’s No.1 hotel loyalty programme; Priority Club Rewards. Over 31 million people are members of Priority Club Rewards today and as Express by Holiday Inn grows in South Africa, I’m confident that many more South Africans will enjoy the rewards and benefits of Priority Club Rewards. Additionally IHG’s reservation systems will empower us to market our hotels and the destinations both domestically and around the world.”
The fastest growing limited-service brand in the world, Express by Holiday Inn now has 1,686 hotels globally, with a further 574 properties in the pipeline.
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