INTERNATIONAL REPORT—Companies are launching brands for the first time in countries across the globe. Here’s a look:
La Quinta Introduced to Europe with New Hotel in Istanbul
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts has debuted its La Quinta by Wyndham flag in Europe with the opening of the 404-room La Quinta by Wyndham Istanbul Gunesli, bringing the brand to travelers outside of the Americas for the first time.
Wyndham acquired La Quinta’s hotel franchise and hotel management businesses in 2018, further building upon the company’s family of hotel brands and offerings around the world. Upon acquiring the brand, Wyndham outlined strategic plans to introduce La Quinta to key markets around the world, offering an upper-midscale option to both hotel developers and travelers.
Its European debut in Istanbul demonstrates that commitment, and is the latest development in the brand’s international growth trajectory. In 2019, Wyndham announced plans to enter the Caribbean market by opening eight hotels across the Dominican Republic within five years, and it grew La Quinta’s footprint in Mexico and Chile in 2018 with newly constructed hotels in Leon and Santiago.
La Quinta by Wyndham Istanbul Gunesli is one of the latest additions to Wyndham Hotels & Resorts’ presence in Turkey, where the company is the largest international hotel group with more than 80 hotels all across the country.
“We are thrilled to welcome La Quinta and its long-standing reputation for delivering quality, reliability and a great guest experience to Europe, further expanding our offering of brands in such an important market like Turkey,” said Dimitris Manikis, president/managing director for EMEA, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. “When La Quinta joined the Wyndham family, we saw tremendous opportunity to grow the brand internationally. With a record of over 13 million international visitors in 2018 alone and an incredible variety of historical, cultural and business sites, Istanbul is one of the world’s most attractive cities for travel, making it the perfect fit for La Quinta’s European debut.”
La Quinta by Wyndham Istanbul Gunesli offers 404 guestrooms and a range of facilities including three restaurants, a fitness center with sauna, Turkish bath, Jacuzzi, steam room and indoor heated pool. The hotel also includes meeting space comprising eight meeting rooms and one ballroom, catering to both leisure and business travel.
Voco Expands in Africa
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has signed Voco The Bank, Rosebank in South Africa in partnership with Valor Hospitality Partners Africa.
Last year, IHG signed a Master Development Agreement (MDA) with Valor Hospitality Partners Africa to roll out multiple franchise hotels over the next 10 years, across IHG’s portfolio of brands in midscale, upscale and luxury segments. This is the first signing under the MDA and adds to IHG’s growing pipeline in the Middle East and Africa.
“We are pleased to announce the first hotel under our agreement with Valor Hospitality Partners Africa and debut our newest upscale brand Voco, in the African continent,” said Pascal Gauvin, managing director, India, Middle East and Africa, IHG. “Receiving immense interest from owners and partners, Voco has gained tremendous momentum in the EMEAA region, and we are excited to be expanding the brand footprint further in the region. True to the brand promise, the new hotel will offer a unique hospitality experience to guests, and will cater to the increasing number of domestic and international travelers looking for quality branded accommodation in South Africa.”
A new-built property, Voco The Bank, Rosebank, will open its doors to guests in 2020 and has 131 guestooms. Located in Rosebank, a cosmopolitan commercial and residential suburb close to central Johannesburg, the hotel will provide access to all key business districts and directly links into the Rosebank Mall and pedestrian precinct. The hotel will have a dining facility that will include a two-level restaurant, a lounge and bar. Catering to the needs of the corporate guests, the hotel will include three meeting rooms, accommodating approximately 80 people.
Radisson Brand to Debut in Russia
Radisson Hotel Group is opening a new 173-room hotel, the Radisson Hotel Gorizont Rostov-on-Don, which is set to debut in 2020.
“We are extremely proud to establish Radisson in Russia, and with this, further strengthening our position as the leading international hotel group in the region,” said Elie Younes, EVP/chief development officer, Radisson Hotel Group. “This signing brings our Russian portfolio up to a total of 39 hotels and 10,000-plus rooms in operation or under development.”
The hotel will offer 173 rooms and suites with a Scandinavian-inspired design, an all-day restaurant and lobby lounge bar, as well as a gym, a conference hall and various meeting rooms.
“The new hotel is a part of the large multifunctional shopping and entertainment complex called Gorizont,” said Dan Polonsky, general director of TK Gorizont JSC. “Radisson Hotel Gorizont Rostov-on-Don will be a convenient location for Russian and foreign partners, as well as guests of the city. This will bring Gorizont Mall to a fundamentally new level with even greater comfort and a unique atmosphere.”
Rostov-on-Don is the 10th largest city in Russia with 1.2 million inhabitants. This will be the second hotel opening for Radisson Hotel Group in the city, in addition to the Radisson Blu that opened in 2017 on the river front.
Hyatt Place to Debut in Dominican Republic
Hyatt Hotels Corporation has entered into a management agreement with Pipax Investment S.RL. for a new Hyatt Place hotel in the capital city of the Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo.
The 120-room Hyatt Place Santo Domingo Piantini will mark the Hyatt Place brand’s debut in the country and will be located in the country’s epicenter for commercial and financial activities.
With construction expected to begin this year, the hotel is projected to open in the third quarter of 2024 and will join the recently opened all-inclusive Hyatt Ziva Cap Cana and Hyatt Zilara Cap Cana in the country.
