After a year of growth that made it one of the fastest hospitality industry launches ever, Aloft Hotels has announced expansion plans for key global markets from Brussels to Bangalore, as well as and one of Aloft’s first New York City properties in downtown Brooklyn. Aloft, a brand from Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, says it is set to open 10 new hotels in the coming year, with half of its 2010 pipeline consisting of international properties.
“The Aloft brand is an important source of fuel for Starwood’s strategic, global expansion,” said Simon Turner, president of global development. "The brand, which has an existing presence in four countries, is at a pivotal point in its growth cycle and is poised to continue to break new ground in 2010 as it debuts in India and Europe, while further establishing its presence in the U.S. and China."
With nearly 40 hotels open since its June 2008 debut, the Aloft brand went global while in launch mode, opening China’s Aloft Beijing Haidian and Aloft Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates in the brand’s first 15 months.
This year, three Aloft hotels will open in India alone, where the corporate travel market is estimated at more than $3 billion. The Aloft brand plans properties for Chennai, India’s fifth-largest city and its second-largest exporter of software and infotech; Bangalore, the “Silicon Valley” of India; and Coimbatore, one of India’s fastest-growing cities and a powerhouse in textiles and engineering.
Europe’s first Aloft hotel will open its doors in Brussels, near the heart of the Belgian capital and European Union hub. And stateside, the Aloft brand will open two New York City properties – one in Brooklyn and the other in the heart of Harlem.
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