DIP signs agreement with UK's Premier Travel Inn

Premier Travel Inn's proposition is to offer high quality accommodation for the business and leisure traveller, with rates in the region of Dh400 per room. Construction of the hotel is expected to begin late this year and is expected to be completed in late 2007.

Patrick Dempsey, managing director, Premier Travel Inn, said, "The fact that the hotel in Dubai Investments Park will be our first property outside the UK is a reflection of our confidence in the Dubai market and, in particular in Dubai Investments Park, as an attractive place to do business."

Stewart Angus, senior vice president, Associated Companies, Emirates group, said: In all, we have identified three initial sites in Dubai to build Premier Travel Inn hotels, which means we will be creating over 800 quality new rooms for business and leisure travellers in the Emirate." A similar size hotel at Dubai Airport, and a 220-room hotel at Dubai Silicon Oasis will follow the Premier Travel Inn at DIP in 2008.

Premier Travel Inn is UK's largest hotel chain with more than 470 budget hotels and over 31,000 rooms, and is part of Whitbread PLC, the UK's leading hospitality and leisure group, quoted on the London Stock Exchange. The Emirates Group has had a presence in Dubai Investments Park since 2003, when it set up the Emirates Flight Catering Co. LLC, occupying two plots in Phase 2. DIP is the only business zone to be launched by the private sector in the Middle East. It offers investors pre-serviced sites, infrastructure, facilities and services for manufacturing, housing, academic, research, distribution and logistics purposes.