ROCKVILLE, MD—Choice Hotels International Inc. has signed a multi-unit development agreement with GVK Enterprises, a hospitality management and development firm, to introduce and establish a hotel portfolio in Greece.
The first property under the agreement is expected to open by the summer 2017 under the Comfort brand flag in Athens, and four additional properties will be developed on the Greek mainland and islands under the Comfort, Quality and Clarion brands.
“We are thrilled to be expanding our European portfolio to Greece, an important travel and tourism destination that has shown signs of strong recovery and positive forecasts,” said Mark Pearce, SVP, international division, Choice Hotels. “Choice wants to support and participate in this recovery and we have every confidence that our brands will thrive in such a dynamic market.”
This agreement follows several other EMEA market portfolio expansions that Choice has announced this year. In April, Choice signed an agreement to deliver approximately 25 hotels and 8,000 rooms in UAE and Saudi Arabia by 2021. Other deals signed include establishing multiple hotels in Belgium and the co-branding of 19 properties in Germany, Austria and Hungary under the Comfort and Quality brands. Choice recently launched its upscale Ascend Hotel Collection brand in the U.K. and France, with Turkey to follow in 2017.