Hilton to develop 15 hotels in Turkey and other international hotel news

Hilton to develop 15 hotels in Turkey
Hilton Hotels Corporation plans to develop around 15 new hotels in key regional locations across Turkey. The company plans to introduce the Hampton by Hilton and Hilton Garden Inn brands and will manage the properties which will be built by Amplio Gayrimenkul Yatirim Ve Gelistirme Anonim Sirketi. Hilton has recently named Turkey as one of its key development markets, joining Russia, the UK and Ireland, Italy, the Iberian Peninsula, Germany and Poland as core strategic areas for its expansion. Hilton currently operates eight properties in Turkey: seven Hilton hotels and one Conrad Hotel.

Accor to launch Pullman hotel brand in Asia
Accor is to introduce its new upscale Pullman hotel brand in Asia with the launch of a hotel in Thailand's capital city of Bangkok later this month. The company said it is looking to expand the brand quickly through the renovation of existing hotels into Pullman hotels and hopes to have 45 hotels in 23 countries in Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Latin America and 250 Pullman hotels by 2015. Accor expects to open a further Pullman property in China, and is aiming to have 40 hotels in the region by 2010.

Conrad to expand into Europe
Conrad Hotels & Resorts is to expand into Europe with the launch of a new resort hotel in the Algarve in Portugal in 2010. The 158-room Conrad hotel will be situated in a mixed development site approximately 10km from Faro International Airport. It will include a number of dining outlets offering both Portuguese and international cuisines and will feature swimming pools and a 1500sq m spa and health club.

Marriott to increase presence in ChinaMarriott International has announced plans to quadruple the number of its hotels China with a view to increase its portfolio in the country to 100 properties over the the next five to six years. The company's vice-president for Asia-Pacific, Geoff Garside, said that the group was growing its presence in a bid to help meet increasing demand for hotels driven by inbound tourism and increasing travel by China's middle class. The development of the company's presence in China will take it into second-tier cities, like Wuhan and Wuxi.

By Kerstin Kühn

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