Travelodge rides cruise wave with port property plans

Travelodge plans to ride on the back of the wave of popularity in cruising by opening hotels at the UK’s ten busiest ports.

The £60 million expansion includes new budget properties in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Harwich, Hull, Liverpool, Newcastle, Poole, Portsmouth, Southampton and Tilbury.

The additions will boost Travelodge’s presence to 42 hotels at the busiest ferry and cruise ports across the UK.

The strategy was unveiled as the company opened its 560th hotel opening in Dover at a cost of £9 million by landlord Legal & General.

The 108-room property, overlooking Dover Castle and minutes away from Dover’s cruise terminal, has created 30 new jobs.

The expansion plans will create around 300 further new jobs.

Travelodge property director Tony O’Brien said: “Today is a double celebration for Travelodge. Not only have we opened our first hotel in Dover but this opening also cements our presence at the UK’s top ten busiest cruise ship ports.

“With more Britons taking to the waves, our port-based hotels are also benefiting from holidaymakers stopping over before embarking on, and returning from, their voyage.

“The cruise boom is still underway and predicted to grow from strength to strength; therefore we are getting on board now and looking for ten new hotel sites at UK’s growing ports.

“This expansion represents an investment of £60 million for third party investors and will create around 300 new jobs.”