Worldwide briefing

Essential news from around the world… Irish expansion for KFC KFC wants to open 26 restaurants in Ireland in the next four years. They will be in Dublin, Cork, Galway and Limerick. The chain currently Hilton profits drop USA-based Hilton Hotels Corporation saw net profits fall to $55m (£38.4) during the first three months of 2001, compared with $58m (£40.5) in the same period last year. It expects its business this year to be affected by the slowdown in the US economy. Profits squeeze at Australian restaurants Restaurants in Australia have seen their average net profit fall to 7.5% of turnover, says a survey of members of the Restaurant and Catering Australia trade association. This compares with a net profit margin of 12.9% recorded in the corresponding survey in 1998. Three more Four Points Starwood Hotels & Resorts is to add three new Four Points by Sheraton hotels in Rome, Milan and Nice. The Rome hotel has 240 bedrooms, the Milan hotel 205 bedrooms, and the Nice hotel 143. Cancun construction Construction work has begun on Accor's new Sofitel hotel in Cancun, Mexico. The hotel will have 402 bedrooms and is scheduled to open in November 2002. Marriott opens in Rio Marriott International has opened a five-star hotel on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It has 245 bedrooms over 17 floors and is the first five-star hotel to open in the city for 12 years. Orient espresso Whitbread-owned coffee bar chain Costa opened its fourth café in Dubai this week. Costa plans to open three more cafés in the United Arab Emirates, three in Kuwait and one in Saudi Arabia.