Choice Hotels to open 20-30 hotels per year over next 2-3 yrs

Mumbai, Jan 16 (PTI) Banking on the growing economyand rapid infrastructure development in India, internationalmid-scale hospitality chain Choice Hotels plans to open 20-30hotels in the country every year over the next three years, atop company official has said.

The US-based firm, through its wholly-owned subsidiaryChoice Hotels India (CHI), currently operates 28 hotels in thecountry through the franchise route.

"Our target is to open 20-30 hotels every year inIndia for the next 2-3 years. In 2011, we plan to open 14hotels mainly in Tier II cities. All are in various stages ofconstruction. We are looking at a double-digit growth inIndia," Choice Hotels India CEO Vilas Pawar told PTI here.

The hotel chain, with a tariff size ranging from Rs2,000-7,000 per night depending on the location, operates 28hotels in India across five brands-- Sleep Inn, Comfort Inn,Quality Inn, Clarion and Cambria.

These hotels are in various destinations including NewDelhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Gurgaon,Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kodaikanal, Lucknow, Faridabad, Amritsar,Shimla, Manali, Corbett, Pune, Nashik, Haldwani, Chiplun,Tuticorin and Vijayawada.

"The mid-scale segment has a huge potential in Indiaand is expanding due to rise in the number of budget consciousdomestic business and leisure travellers," Pawar said.

Choice runs 6,200 hotels across 12 brands globally -Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Quality Inn, Sleep Inn Clarion,Cambria Suites, Mainstay Suites, Suburban Extended Stay Hotel,Ascend Collection, Econo Lodge and Rodeway Inn.