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New Hotel for Christchurch
Christchurch’s first new internationally-branded hotel in over a decade began construction on a prime site in the centre of the city this week.
The eight-storey, 155-room Hotel Ibis Christchurch is being built on Hereford Street, just off Cathedral Square, with design and construction by the Carson Group. The Carson Group is renowned in New Zealand for their involvement in such major projects as Te Papa Tongarewa, Christchurch International Airport and the Christchurch Art Gallery.
The hotel is being developed at a total cost of $20 million and is due for completion in early 2007. The hotel will have a café, bar, parking and a variety of retail outlets as part of the development.
The arrival of Ibis Christchurch will come at a time when Christchurch International Airport is undergoing major expansion and experiencing record passenger movements. Arrivals grew to more than 5.5 million passengers in 2005 and with the arrival of Jetstar in December last year, numbers are set to grow further in 2006.
The development of the Ibis builds on Accor’s existing presence in Christchurch. The Ibis will join Hotel Off the Square and the Base Backpackers hostel on Cathedral Square in Accor’s Christchurch network. Accor’s New Zealand network currently comprises 22 hotels and 4 hostels.
Ibis Christchurch will join Ibis hotels in three other key New Zealand centres – Auckland, Wellington and Rotorua – and is part of the largest-ever expansion of the renowned economy brand in the Asia Pacific region.
“The growth of the Ibis brand – which promises the most affordable three-star accommodation in town – has paralleled the growth in low-cost airlines across the Tasman and in the Asia Pacific region,” said Regional General Manager for New Zealand, Thomas van Vliet.
“Christchurch has benefited from major growth in international flights and particularly low-cost airlines, and as a result there has been considerable pressure on the city’s accommodation infrastructure. The new Ibis will help satisfy the growth in demand, and with the brand’s international reputation for good value, it will add significantly to the city and region’s tourism stocks.
“We are continuing to look at other opportunities in Christchurch, as the city could certainly benefit from a quality 4-star Novotel to boost the upper-end of the market.”
Graham Muldoon
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