Starwood has plans to open 50 new hotels in Europe

From the International Hotel Investment Forum (IHIF) in Berlin, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide has announced plans to open 50 new hotels in Europe over the next five years, increasing its European hotel portfolio by 30%. This year, Starwood will open nine new hotels across the continent, primarily in fast-growing markets, a key focus of Starwood’s long-term development strategy in Europe. At the same time, Starwood and its partners are making significant investments to restore and enhance some of the company’s most iconic European hotels. “Europe continues to be home to many of the world’s most sought-after destinations and to attract travellers from markets around the globe,”said Simon Turner, president of Global Development for Starwood. “There is strong demand for all of our brands on the continent and, after years of tight supply, we are seeing great deal signing momentum in Europe both in established and rapidly growing markets.”Highlights include three new Starwood hotels in Turkey, including the debut of the Sheraton brand in Adana; Starwood’s third hotel in Moscow with the opening of the Sheraton Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport Hotel; the entry into Tajikistan with the opening of a new Sheraton hotel in the country’s capital city of Dushanbe, followed by the launch of a Sheraton hotel in the emerging city of Aktobe in Kazakhstan; the addition of the celebrated King George hotel in Athens to Starwood’s Luxury Collection portfolio, marking the brand’s eighth hotel in Greece; and W Hotels’ first ever ski retreat with the opening of W Verbier and The Residences at W Verbier, marking the debut of the W brand in Switzerland, and next year, W will debut in Milan. (http://www.starwoodhotels.com)