IHG to enter Tasmania with Crowne Plaza
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), one of the world's leading hotel companies, has signed a management agreement with Tasmania-based hospitality company, The Kalis Group, for a new Crowne Plaza hotel in Hobart.
Marking IHG's entry into Tasmania, the 187-room Crowne Plaza Hobart will be part of the ICON Complex, a mixed-use development by The Kalis Group which is set to become Tasmania’s premier retail destination.
Located in the city's central business district, the hotel's close proximity to major government and commercial offices will be a draw for business guests. The city’s renowned Salamanca Place and Constitution Dock at the capital's waterfront are also a stone’s throw away from the hotel, providing easy access for guests during their leisure time.
Crowne Plaza Hobart will feature a range of business and meetings facilities including a ballroom, meeting rooms, boardroom and 24-hour business centre. Guests will also be able to enjoy the hotel's all-day dining restaurant and unwind at the bar, or work out at the fully equipped fitness centre.
Karin Sheppard, Chief Operating Officer, Australasia, Japan, Korea & Asia, Middle East and Africa (AMEA) Franchising, IHG said: “In expanding into new markets we always look to work with Owners who understand our brands and are familiar with the city we're entering. We are delighted to be establishing our presence in yet another key Australian city with The Kalis Group. Hobart is thriving and tourism is a key part of that. The location and facilities of the new Crowne Plaza Hobart will make it a great choice for both business and leisure guests when it opens in 2017."
Alexia Kalis, Chief Executive Officer, Kalis Group, said: “Hobart is growing in popularity as a meetings and tourism destination, and improvements in air access are leading to increasing visitor arrivals every year. This has been reflected in room rates and occupancy steadily rising in the city over the last few years. Now is a great time to be developing an internationally-branded upscale hotel, as this is where the biggest opportunity is in the market right now."
“Crowne Plaza is globally recognised as a leading business hotel brand and we are confident this is what the locale needs to meet the expected tourism boom in the coming years. We are pleased to be working with IHG and look forward to welcoming guests to Crowne Plaza Hobart when it opens in a couple of years,” Kalis added.
Crowne Plaza is one of the fastest growing hotel brands in the world with over 400 hotels in more than 65 countries worldwide, including 69 hotels across the Asia, Middle East and Africa region.
There are currently 9 Crowne Plaza hotels open across Australia. IHG currently has a total of 24 hotels in Australia across three brands: InterContinental, Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn, with a further four hotels in the pipeline due to open over the next three to five years. This includes the launch of Holiday Inn Express in Sydney's Macquarie Park.
Source: Travel Daily News - 26th March 2015
