This year will see over 16 new hotels open on the market, most of which belong to chains already established in Romania, such as Ramada, Golden Tulip and Continental.
However, the most important opening is expected to be the Radisson SAS hotel, which will outrank the Marriott as Romania's largest 5-star hotel, in terms of the number of rooms.
World-renowned brands Four Seasons and Le Meridien have yet to enter the market, however the new openings will include Radisson SAS (with 1 hotel), Golden Tulip (6), Ramada (4), Phoenicia (1), Boulevard (1), and Continental (between 3 and 9).
Most hotel chains are expanding outside Bucharest, because some of them no longer find the capital city as attractive as it was two years ago.
"The hotel we open next month will take us to three hotels in Bucharest, and, as far as Ramada is concerned, this will be our final hotel in the capital," said Tinu Sebesanu, CEO of Trend Hospitality, the strategic development partner of American hotel chain Wyndham, owner of the Howard Johnson and Ramada brands on the local market.
The Golden Tulip hotel chain will open 6 hotels this year, in Bucharest, Brasov, Sibiu, Cluj, and in another two cities.
"Out of these hotels, four will be Golden Tulip hotels, and two Tulip Inn hotels, with around 150 rooms, more than the current capacity of about 100," said Paul Marasoiu, regional manager for Romania, Bulgaria and Moldova for Golden Tulip Hotels, Inns & Resorts.
After Continental attracted investment fund PPF Investment as a shareholder, the chain now has aggressive expansion plans. According to previous statements made by the group's CEO, Radu Enache, the hotel chain's number of rooms will double, with investments earmarked at approximately 138 million euros.
In addition, Ibis has announced a project that will entail six hotels - in Timisoara, Targu-Mures, Sibiu, Bucharest, Brasov, Cluj-Napoca and Iasi, which will be delivered onto the market between September 2008 and May 2010, with investments worth between 63 and 68 million euros.
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