MCLEAN, Va.—Homewood Suites by Hilton continues its expansion into Canada with two new hotel openings in the first quarter 2014 and four more properties slated to open in the market in second quarter 2014. The brand’s 11th Canadian property in Hamilton, Ontario, opened Feb. 21. Homewood Suites Winnipeg Airport-Polo Park opened March 12 and is the brand’s 12th property in Canada and first hotel in the Manitoba market.
The brand’s wave of Canadian hotel openings comes on the heels of what Scotiabank highlighted in a recent report on the Canadian tourism market as a national trend of increased domestic travel due to Canadians’ tighter travel budgets and a weaker Canadian dollar. These factors have many Canadians booking trips closer to home, significantly supporting the domestic tourism market. Simultaneously, there has been an uptick in the number of international travelers visiting Canada, with nearly 2,800 more international overnight trips to Canadian markets taken in December 2013 than during the same time period in 2012, according to a recent report from the Canada Tourism Commission.
“As the Canadian tourism market continues to grow and become more lucrative, it remains an important area for development for Homewood Suites,” said Bill Duncan, global head, Homewood Suites by Hilton and Home2 Suites by Hilton. “Hotels under the Homewood Suites brand flag have earned the trust of guests over the years and are the answer to the increasing demand for the extended-stay product in Canada.”
Over the last decade, Homewood Suites has steadily built its presence in Canada, which now exceeds 1,300 suites across 12 hotels. The majority of the brand’s current Canadian portfolio is located in Ontario and Quebec, including locations in Burlington, Cambridge, Hamilton, London, Markham, Mississauga, Mont Tremblant, Oakville, Sudbury, Vaughan, and Toronto Airport, which shares a flag with Hampton Inn and Suites as the first dual-branded hotel property in the Canada market.
“Kicking the first quarter off with entrance into the Manitoba market, Homewood’s surge into new markets throughout Canada is in line with the brand’s overall goal of increasing its footprint within urban and primary suburban North American markets,” Duncan added.
