Premier Inn has announced a significant increase in its room target in Ireland, now aiming for 5,000 rooms to meet fast-growing demand. This represents a 30% increase on the previous target of 3,500 rooms.
Whitbread PLC, owner of Premier Inn, has confirmed its confidence in the Irish hotel market by revising upwards its medium-term growth target. This decision is based on an in-depth analysis of the performance of its existing hotels in Ireland and projections of future hotel demand. The increased room target is part of Whitbread's wider growth plan to reach 125,000 Premier Inn rooms in the UK and Ireland.
Expansion in Dublin and beyond
Whitbread has unveiled an updated list of target sites for its new hotels in Ireland, including additional locations in Dublin city centre, five new sites on the outskirts of Dublin, as well as eleven cities across the country. The company is actively seeking Premier Inn hotel locations in strategic areas such as Heuston and Connolly stations, South Docklands and Dublin 2. On the outskirts of Dublin, Whitbread is targeting locations in Outer Dublin to build on the success of its hotels near Dublin Airport and in Sandyford.
Provincial targets
Outside the capital, Whitbread is targeting locations with strong leisure and business economies, anticipating growth in visitor numbers. Target destinations include Killarney, Kilkenny, Kinsale, Sligo, Westport and Tralee, as well as the major cities of Cork, Galway, Limerick, Waterford and Wexford. This strategy aims to capture growing demand and provide branded accommodation options in Ireland's key tourist and business destinations.
Background and outlook
Since entering the Irish market in 2018 with the acquisition of a prime development site in Dublin city centre, Premier Inn has opened six hotels in Dublin and Cork, employing over 200 people. Whitbread forecasts that total demand for hotel accommodation in Ireland will exceed 20 million nights by the end of the decade, due to Ireland's strong economy, low unemployment and expected increase in international visitors.
Medium Term Development Plan
The revised Irish room target is part of Whitbread's Medium Term Development Plan, which aims to strengthen Premier Inn's position as one of Europe's leading hotel chains. This initiative underlines Whitbread's commitment to meeting the growing demand for quality branded hotels and supporting economic and tourism development in Ireland.
With this ambitious goal, Premier Inn is positioned to play a key role in the Irish hotel market, offering modern and accessible accommodation options in the country's key tourist and business destinations.
“Our confidence for Premier Inn in Ireland is driven by the positive performance of our trading hotels in Dublin and Cork as well as our belief in the growing demand for high-quality budget hotel rooms in Ireland.
“We believe there are many further opportunities for Premier Inn in inner and outer Dublin and are confident the brand will perform well in towns and cities across Ireland with strong local business economies and drivers of year-round tourist demand. It continues to be an exciting time for us in the country.”
Matt Gent, Development Manager for Whitbread in Ireland
