Yesterday Caterersearch announced that Premier Inn, the UK’s largest budget hotel chain, has launched its first hotel in India and plans to open a further nine properties in the country during the next five years.
The company is expanding into India, where there are limited budget hotel brands, to capitalise on the country’s developing business traveller market. Bangalore is the destination of the Premier Inn’s first Indian hotel, which has 105 bedrooms, a multi-national restaurant, bar, gym and conference room.
“India represents one of the fastest growing economies in the world today and we are confident that Premier Inn will be successful in India,” said Patrick Dempsey, managing director of Premier Inn UK.
Large Indian corporations, multi-national companies, small and medium enterprises and small privately-owned firms are all being targeted by Premier Inn in India. “There is a huge and rapidly growing junior and middle management population that represents an excellent opportunity for us,” said Aly Shariff, Premier Inn India managing director. “Following Bangalore, there will be properties in Delhi in 2010 and Pune in 2011.”
Premier Inn’s move into India comes 18 months after the company launched its first international hotel in Dubai. There are now three Premier Inns in the country, with a third property opening next month.
Premier Inn, which has 580 budget hotels, with more than 40,000 rooms, throughout the UK and Ireland, is currently offering rooms in the UK for £29.