IRVING, TX—Continuing its international expansion, La Quinta Holdings, Inc., owner, operator and franchisor of La Quinta Inns & Suites hotels, has signed franchise agreements for new hotels in Nicaragua and Guatemala. Additionally, during second quarter 2014, the company opened 12 franchised hotels in eight states.
La Quinta has signed franchise agreements for three new hotels to be constructed in Managua, Nicaragua; Guatemala City, Guatemala; and Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. These hotels mark La Quinta’s debut in Nicaragua and Guatemala.
“Our entry into these two new Central American markets reflects the strength of La Quinta in Latin America and our ability to deliver on this growth objective,” stated Wayne Goldberg, president and CEO, La Quinta. “We see tremendous opportunities for ongoing franchise growth internationally given our existing infrastructure and established brand history.”
As part of the company’s continued international growth, it will also be opening franchised hotels in Honduras and Colombia. The hotel in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, is a nine-story, modern-style building with 112 rooms, slated to open in late 2014 or early 2015, while the hotel in Medellin, Colombia, is expected to open in 2015.
The 12 new hotels opened in Q2 are located in Oxford, AL; Boise, ID; Coeur d’Alene, ID; Salisbury, MD; Artesia, NM; Midwest City, OK; Clinton, OK; Pigeon Forge, TN; Wichita Falls, TX; Mathis, TX; Summersville, WV; and Elkview, WV. The new properties bring its year-to-date new openings to 24 hotels and nearly 2,300 rooms.
“We are excited about the new openings in the second quarter, as they reflect the strength of our highly differentiated brand and our robust franchise program,” stated Rajiv K. Trivedi, EVP and chief development officer of La Quinta. “These openings demonstrate our increasingly broad geographic reach within the continental U.S., further enhancing our ability to provide guests with a refreshing and engaging lodging experience, wherever they may be traveling.”