Partner Article

Travelodge announces 1,000 new jobs

Today hotel chain Travelodge has announced it will open 41 new sites, creating 1,000 new jobs across the UK.

The new properties represent an investment of £246m, and will boost the company’s estate to 537 hotels and over 39,000 rooms.

As part of the expansion, Travelodge will offer 120 new apprenticeship places on its Junior Management Programme (JuMP), which was launched last year.

The scheme was developed to bolster the company’s growth strategy, and offer school leavers an alternative to university.

Combining on-the-job training with further education, the fast track management programme is a real job, offering the opportunity to become a hotel manager in three years.

Guy Parsons, Travelodge Chief Executive said: “We are delighted to be opening even more new hotels and creating even more new jobs this year compared to 2011.

“Despite the ongoing tough economic climate, Travelodge is continuing to open hotels at a faster rate than anyone else and create much needed jobs; which is exactly what the British economy needs right now.

“The demand for good quality budget accommodations is growing at such pace across the country, that we have added 146 new UK locations to our target requirements list. Therefore we can build more hotels in the locations where consumers need them.

“Our ability to raise finance means that we are able to move quickly when other companies remain strangled by red tape.

“This, coupled with our ability to be flexible and innovative in terms of the development schemes we can undertake, ensures we are in a very strong position to achieve our growth target of having 1,000 hotels by 2020.”

In a challenging climate for the hospitality sector, Travelodge has managed to maintain a successful model.

Benefiting from weak property markets, the company has remained flexible, last year introducing its ‘Metrolodge’ strategy, taking smaller properties in sought after locations and office buildings.

Working with large companies such as supermarket brands Morrisons and Waitrose, as well as the likes of JD Wetherspoons, Travelodge has managed to secure more locations that were not previously viable for hotel development.

Eleven of the 41 new properties opening this year are located in London, boosting the company’s profile as the most prevalent hotelier in the Capital.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Tom Keighley .