p18 pink oct24 21/10/08 18:55 Page 18
City & finance
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Travelodge and
Aldi share sites
TRAVELODGE has signed a property deal with
Aldi that will see the budget pair share locations
as they seek to expand.
The hotel operator and the grocery chain say
they are gaining market share as customers
trade down.
Nick Dines, Travelodge’s head of corporate
communications, said the two companies would
work together to find suitable sites as their
“value” position was an obvious fit.
He said: “We have 99% brand recognition and
they sell good products at a good price, like us.
Accor beats crisis
“There aren’t many people looking to build or
expand, but we both are.”
He added that as most businesses were
unwilling to undertake physical expansion, so with revenue rise
city centre sites were becoming available.
The first shared site, in Newquay, includes a
Tricia Holly Davis.
and revenue per available room dropped 8.1%.
74-bed Travelodge and an Aldi store. The second HOTEL giant Accor reported a 3.7% increase in Accor’s overall profit before tax for the year is
site, in Middlesbrough, will have 55 rooms. revenues for the first nine months of 2008, predicted to be down, standing at between ¤870m
including a 1.1% growth in the third quarter. and ¤890m, against ¤910m to ¤930m in 2007.
Its performance came despite warnings that Dubai-based luxury hotelier Jumeirah Group
EuroDisney posts
hotel occupancy rates and room revenue were also claimed positive news, reporting occupancy
falling across the hotel industry. rates of 90% in Dubai. It is pushing forward with
a ¤1.7m profit
Accor’s upmarket and midmarket European plans to open an additional 19 properties.
properties performed equally well, with a 4.7% Commenting on the sector as a whole, Andrew
boost in revenues, while economy hotels saw a Sangster, of trend monitor Hotel Analyst, said
THE parent company of Disneyland Resort Paris 4.5% increase. room revenue was down across the board.
this week announced its first profit in five years, Occupancy rates in these categories declined Sangster said leisure travellers had been first
of ¤1.7m. by 1.1 and 1.4 percentage points respectively, but to cut back, but business travellers would follow.
Profits for the year ending September 30 revenue per available room was up 1.6% and Budget hoteliers see it as an opportunity to
followed losses of ¤41.7m in 2007. Turnover rose 2.8% respectively. gain market share. Whitbread, owner of Premier
by 9% to ¤1.33bn, driven by increased theme Performance was worse in the US, where Inn, reported a 12% boost in revenues year-on-
park attendance and hotel occupancy rates. revenue for Accor’s budget properties fell by year, and said it was encouraging travellers to
EuroDisney chief executive Philippe Gas 1.2%, occupancy was down by 2.1 percentage trade down rather than cancel trips altogether.
said: “We reached an important milestone in points and revenue per available room fell 2.2%. “Trading down” is the theme of the moment,
2008 by achieving profitability. Our revenues, However, Smith Travel Research said overall said Anthony Fryer, hospitality analyst for Ernst
theme parks attendance and hotel occupancy US hotel occupancy levels fell 7.2% year-on-year & Young. (See Travelodge story, left)
contributed to our performance, which is
noteworthy given the economic environment.”
Theme park revenues increased 9% to ¤715m
Encore trade sales up by a third
from ¤658m the previous year, reflecting an
800,000 rise in attendance to 15.3 million guests ENCORE Tickets has reported a 33% year-on- However, he said much of the growth had
and a 3% increase in average spending per guest year increase in sales of London theatre and come from the European, rather than UK, market.
to ¤46. UK visitors account for 16% of the total. attraction tickets through the trade. The company’s website, myencore.co.uk,
The increase in average spending per room Managing director John Wales said it now allows bookings for Broadway shows in New York
reflected increases in daily room rates and fewer sold more than 1.4 million theatre tickets a year as well as London theatre, restaurants and
promotional offers, the company said. through agents. attractions.
18 24.10.2008
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