IHG continues the expansion of its luxury & lifestyle growth in Europe with the signing of the Franchise Agreement with InterContinental Tirana, a brand debut for InterContinental Hotels & Resorts in Albania.
Due to open in 2025, IHG recently signed a Franchise Agreement with Mr. Ram Geci, Owner and President of Geci Group, one of Albania’s leading infrastructure companies, which also specialises in hospitality and tourism. The company has around 20 years’ experience in hospitality, having been a shareholder since 2004 and Sole Owner of Tirana International Hotel, Tirana, Albania, since 2011.
The new-build InterContinental Tirana hotel will have around 300 rooms and suites, a large conference centre with a ballroom and a capacity of up to 1,000 people for MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Exhibitions) events and weddings. There will also be a luxury spa, and a rooftop restaurant and bar with panoramic views of the city. The hotel will be located within Tirana’s main Skanderbeg Square, close to key attractions such as the National Historical Museum, Castle of Tirana, Opera House, Art Gallery and the main institutions like the Albanian Parliament, Ministries, National Bank of Albania and Tirana Municipality. The property is just 15 minutes’ drive from Tirana International Airport.
Willemijn Geels, VP Development Europe, IHG Hotels & Resorts, said: “As the world’s first luxury hotel brand, InterContinental Hotels & Resorts is delighted to be partnering with Geci Group on its first property in Tirana, Albania’s capital city, cultural and economic hub. This is a great opportunity for IHG to expand within Albania, a key entry market for us, as well as grow our presence across The Balkans. It builds on momentum following the recently announced signing of Crowne Plaza Durrës – in Albania’s second largest city.”
Ram Geci, Owner and President of Geci Group said: “We are delighted to be partnering with IHG on this exciting new-build project, on this first Agreement of Luxury Hotels, in the heart of Albania’s capital city, Tirana. Appealing to business and leisure travellers alike, InterContinental Tirana will be in a prime location providing some of the best hospitality experiences in Albania.”
In 2021, InterContinental Hotels & Resorts marked its 75th Diamond anniversary, and currently has 31 open hotels across Europe, and 214 open and 79 in the pipeline across the world. Recent signings in Europe include InterContinental Resort Crete, InterContinental Resort Amma, Canj – Montenegro and InterContinental Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
Facilities at InterContinental Tirana will include a relaxing wellness and leisure area including an indoor pool, steam room, sauna, treatment rooms and a gym. There will be several restaurants, bars and cafés, plus a casino, kids club, library and extensive underground parking.
Bordering Greece, Serbia and Macedonia, Albania has a population of 2.9 million. Recognising the importance of tourism to Albania’s economy, the government has recently approved a set of tax breaks to help boost investment. In 2021, the total number of overseas tourists who visited Albania jumped 114% to 5.7 million people (source: INSTAT).
*Any numbers as at 4 May 2022
