Travelodge’s Euro-growth plan

BUDGET hotel chain Travelodge is poised for a major expansion in Europe after the success of four sites in Spain proved its no-frills brand was “completely transferable”, its chief executive said yesterday.

Guy Parsons, pictured, revealed the company, which is also pushing to more than double its number of UK outlets by 2013, was working on a significant European strategy, which will be announced in the next couple of months.

Travelodge is already eyeing 100 hotels in Spain in the long term but analysts believe its model could also be transferred to Germany, Holland, Italy and Scandinavia.

The revelation came as the group posted a 15 per cent sales rise in the 13 weeks to 30 August although the riots south of the Border cost it £1 million after it received a raft of cancellations during the two weeks around the civil unrest.

More than 80 of its hotels were swept up in the riots and while none of them was forced to close, outlets in affected areas received high levels of cancellations.

The company said its sales increase during the period would have been more like 17 per cent had it not been for the chaos, particularly in London.

Parsons said the level of cancellations was, in fact, the highest seen since the beginning of the recession.

“Images of London burning and shops being looted flashing around the globe stopped domestic and international travellers from leaving home,” he said.