New hotel brands have a long way to go before they can challenge the dominance of the larger hotel groups in the capital, according to tourist body Visit London.

Park Plaza, which is set to open two hotels in London with more than 1,300 rooms, is one of the new hotel brands emerging, along with Quest Hotels, Shangri-La, Silken Hotels, Yotel and Grupo Pestana, to challenge the old order.

However, major brands such as InterContinental Hotels, Accor (including Sofitel and Ibis) and Premier Travel Inn continue to dominate the industry.

Thistle Hotels remains top-dog in London with the most bedrooms at 6,000.

James Bidwell, CEO of Visit London, said, “The influence of the major branded hotels, accounting for around 40% of the market in London, cannot be underestimated. However, it is exciting to see competition coming in from new operators giving our business and leisure visitors an excellent choice of quality accommodation.”

The findings feature in Visit London’s latest Hotel Development Monitor report.

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By Alix Young

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