Marriott adds 14th hotel in Mexico and other international news

Marriott adds 14th hotel in Mexico
Marriott is to expand its portfolio in Mexico with the opening of the 209-room Marriott Tijuana hotel in May this year. The property, which is currently undergoing a revamp, will be the second Marriott International hotel in Tijuana. It will include an all-day casual restaurant as well as a martini and tapas bar and a lobby lounge. Recreational amenities will include a heated outdoor swimming pool and a fitness centre, with business facilities comprising 951sq m of conference space including two ballrooms and five additional meeting rooms. Ed Fuller, president and managing director of international lodging at Marriott, said: "We're delighted by our growing multi-brand portfolio of hotels in Mexico. With the addition of this impressive hotel, we will have 14 hotels and six brands available to travellers in the country."

IHG opens hotel in Los Angeles
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has launched a new property in Los Angeles with the opening of the InterContinental Los Angeles Century City. The 363-room hotel includes private balconies with city and mountain views as well we 12,500 sq ft of function space. Kirk Kinsell, IHG chief development officer for the Americas, said: "We have been looking for an opportunity to expand IHG's presence in Los Angeles with the introduction of the InterContinental brand. This new deal reflects the brand vision and further solidifies our growth of luxury properties in the USA."

Fairmont adds property in Germany
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts is to expand its European portfolio with the addition of the Fairmont hotel Vier Jahreszeiten in Hamburg, Germany, later this month. The 157-room hotel is housed in a classic building more than 100 years old and is furnished with a collection of 16th and 17th century furniture. It features four restaurants, two bars, a spa and fitness facility and 6,700sq ft of function space. The hotel is the fourth Fairmont property in Europe joining the Savoy in London, the Fairmont St. Andrews in Scotland and the Fairmont Monte Carlo in Monaco. The latter will reopen following a €42m (£28.4m) renovation in May this year.

South Africa to boost neighbouring country's tourism during 2010 World Cup
Tourism in southern Africa could receive a further boost from the 2010 FIFA World Cup if international football administrators approve a plan by host nation South Africa to allow visiting teams to base themselves in neighbouring countries. The plans propose that the visiting teams will have their bases outside South Africa in countries including Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Swaziland and Zimbabwe and only travel to the host country the day before each match, returning to their bases afterwards. If approved, the proposal will see a change in the rules governing the travel and accommodation arrangements for visiting teams. Under existing rules, the 31 visiting teams can set up training camps outside the host country before the finals but have to move to the host country at least seven days before their opening match and remain there during the tournament.

By Kerstin Kühn

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