Hilton To Overshoot 1,000-Room Mark In Romania Next Year

05.30.2011 ZF English

From just 272 rooms on the Romanian market until 2009, Hilton hotel chain will go to over 1,000 rooms next year after having affiliated six hotels at the height of the economic downturn.

The first Hilton hotel (Athenee Palace Hilton) opened in Bucharest in 1997, and it was the only Hilton in Romania until 2009.

But the hotel chain stepped up the expansion and affiliated six hotels at the height of the economic downturn, which it branded as Double Tree by Hilton, as well as Hampton by Hilton, being the only international group to undergo such strong development over the past three years.

"Amid the current economic uncertainty, I believe brand importance will rise for hotel companies.

The Romanian market is coping with a shortage of international hotel brands," says Martin Didier, Hilton vice-president for Eastern Europe, Turkey, Russia and Israel.

"We can see potential and high demand in Romania for accommodation conditions offered by international brands. Owing to this potential, we're actively seeking hotel contracts in this country, particularly in cities such as Bucharest, Brasov, Iasi, Timisoara, Craiova," Didier adds.

Affiliation to major international hotel chains stands at less than 1% in Romania.

Currently, Hilton has five hotels under development in Romania, set to be launched by the end of 2012. They will drive the number of rooms affiliated to the international brand to over 1,000.

"We're posting rapid growth on this market, three hotels are due to be opened this year under DoubleTree by Hilton brand and another two, under Hampton by Hilton brand will be launched in early 2012," Didier says.

The two hotels under Hampton by Hilton of Brasov and Cluj, the latest contract signed by the hotel chain, will be opened next year.