SÃO PAULO, Brazil—IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) announced the signing of the Holiday Inn Express Marília. The new-build, 102-room Holiday Inn Express hotel will be among the first internationally branded properties in the city of Marília, and is slated to open toward the end of 2013.
“Marília is an excellent example of the type of city that is emerging and will support the growth of the Holiday Inn Express brand,” said Joel Eisemann, chief development officer, the Americas, IHG. “The country’s growth is generating great demand for internationally branded hotels. The strength of our brands and experience in the region make IHG an ideal franchising partner.”
Owned by Hotelaria Agisol Ltda., a subsidiary of Grupo Bertim, a prominent construction company in the state of São Paulo, the hotel is franchised by an affiliate of IHG.
The Holiday Inn Express Marília will have a strong focus on sustainability, including energy-efficient systems, effluent wastewater treatment plans, solar panels, and LED lighting.
“There is no other international hotel company with IHG’s longevity in Latin America,” adds Alvaro Diago, chief operations officer, Latin America & Caribbean, IHG. “The roots of our company stem from Brazil, with the first IHG-branded property opening in Belém in 1946. We helped forge Brazil’s hospitality industry, and we are pleased to be an integral part of this next stage of travel evolution for the country.”
