Premier Inn eyes four properties in India by 2016-17

Premier Inn, part of the UK-based Whitbread PLC, today said it has an additional 1,000 rooms in pipeline for India by 2016-17, and is looking at expanding to secondary cities, a senior company executive has said.
"We have very aggressive expansion plans for the country as India, South East Asia and the GCC are our focus international markets," Premier Inn Senior Vice President, Operations (Asia), Aly Shariff told reporters here.
"We currently have three properties with 347 rooms in India and going forward we have four additional properties in pipeline by 2016-17, with 1,000 rooms," Shariff said.
The brand, catering to the mid-scale market segment, is is looking at expanding in tier II and III cities, he said.

However, to establish the brand in the country the company will also continue to strengthen its presence in the metro cities, he added.
The company has invested Rs 182 crore in India with three properties and 347 rooms in Bangalore, Delhi and Pune, he said adding all three are owned by the hospitality major.

Going forward, Premier Inn is looking at joint ventures, partnerships and third party management contracts as and where the opportunities lies, he said.
"In India currently we own all the three properties, and of the four properties under various stages of development two are owned by us. The other two are third party management contract," he added.

Premier Inn has 680 properties in the UK with 57,000 rooms, either owned or on long term lease.