19/06/2007: Hotusa makes its debut in the Balkans with its first associated hotel in Montenegro

Hotusa Hotels makes its debut in the Balkan Republic of Montenegro with the inclusion of its first associated hotel in this country. The Azalea Hotel Princess, to be opened shortly, is a four-star, 133-room establishment, located in the tourist resort town of Bar. The hotel belongs to the prestigious Austrian chain, Azalea Hotels & Resorts and is one of the 26 new establishments that have become associated with Hotusa Hotels during the month of May, of which 18 form part of its international network.

To make a landing in the Balkans has been one of the objectives of this chain of independent hotels, due to the favourable forecasts for tourist growth in the area, much appreciated in markets such as the Italian and Central European. In fact, the latest study by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) regarding growth forecasts in the tourist sector for 2007, situates Montenegro as the destination with greatest potential, ahead of giants like China or India. This international institution forecasts that in 2007, growth of the tourist demand to Montenegro will be 10.1%, a percentage that will hold, according to the report, for the next ten years. Being perfectly aware of this reality, Hotusa Hotels is prepared to continue increasing its presence as much in Montenegro as in the remaining Balkan States.

The Azalea Hotel Princess is located in a privileged setting on the Adriatic shores and in an area characterized by a landscape in which the sea and the mountains melt into one. Set in a completely renovated, classical, palatial building, the Azalea Hotel Princess offers, apart from its wide range of accommodation, a Wellness area that provides sauna, Jacuzzi and Turkish baths and in which a variety of beauty treatments are available.

Specially designed for families, the establishment offers its Azalea Kids Club, equipped with an assortment of attractions for children. At the same time, this first associated Hotusa hotel in Montenegro, being as it is a luxury, four-star establishment, provides space for conferences and events with capacity to hold over 120 people, plus three fine restaurants. And all this in surroundings that, in addition to the sea, boast monuments of great interest, such as the King Nikola Castle, only 100 metres from the hotel or the Lake Skutari National Park.

During the past month, the following 18 new establishments have been added to the Hotusa international portfolio in: Mexico (4), Italy, (3), Argentina (3), U.S.A. (2), Portugal (2), France (2), Turkey (1), in addition to the Azalea Hotel Princess in Montenegro (1). On the national side, the new associated hotels are located in Catalonia (3) and, one each in the regions of Andalusia, Navarre, Castile-La Mancha, Rioja and Galicia. With these new additions, the independent hotels chain belonging to this Spanish tourist group has presence in 42 countries throughout the world.

The organization's objective is to enlarge and diversify its portfolio with the addition of hotels in the traditional destinations, as well as in the emerging tourist marketplaces worldwide. In this context, in January, the Hotusa Group added its first associated hotel in China. Hotusa also has plans to continue expanding across the Asian continent over the coming months, with new additions in both China - given the great interest for tourism created by the 2008 Olympic Games to be hosted by this destination - India and other South-East Asian countries