EasyHotel expansion and a new boss for EasyCruise

Budget hotel group EasyHotel has signed a master franchise agreement that will see it open 38 hotels by 2011.

The agreement with Dubai-based investment company Istithmar is for hotels in the Middle East, North Africa, India and Pakistan.

Istithmar Hotels, a subsidiary of Istithmar will operate the hotels, which are likely to be located in central city locations.

Eight hotels will be operational by the end of 2007 and a further 18 by the end of 2008 with the remaining 12 coming online over the following three years.

As part of the deal, six hotel deals have been signed for Dubai and eight EasyHotels will open in major metropolitan centres in India over the next four years.

The agreement will also see EasyHotel extend to three hotels in Saudi Arabia, three in Pakistan, two in Lebanon.

A further 20 selected sites have also been chosen in north Africa, Turkey and other parts of the Middle East.

• EasyCruise has appointed Gwyn Jones, previously at P&O, as its new chief executive officer with immediate effect. Hughes was managing director of P&O Cruises until its demerger from P&O Group in 2000.

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By James Garner

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