Today the UK's fastest growing hotel company, Travelodge, has announced it will be opening 41 hotels (3610 rooms) this year and creating 1,000 new jobs across the UK.

These new properties, at an investment of £246 million, will boost the company's estate to 537 hotels and over 39,000 rooms.

Eleven of the new Travelodges opening this year are located in London - further cementing the company's position as the biggest hotelier in the capital. These 41 new hotel openings will create 880 new jobs across the country. In addition to these positions, Travelodge is also creating a further 120 new apprenticeship places on its successful Junior Management Programme (JuMP), which was launched last year.

The bespoke scheme was developed to support Travelodge's aggressive growth strategy and to help Britain's unemployed youngsters back into work. It offers school leavers an alternative career choice to university. The fast-track management programme provides a real job, with the opportunity of on-the-job training throughout the business which is combined with further education, the opportunity to earn up to £30,000 and to become a hotel manager in three years, in stark contrast to a university education, which incurs an average debt of over £53,000* followed by the prospect of an overcrowded jobs market.

Guy Parsons, Travelodge Chief Executive said: "We are delighted to be opening even more new hotels and creating even more new jobs this year compared to 2011. Despite the ongoing tough economic climate, Travelodge is continuing to open hotels at a faster rate than anyone else and create much needed jobs, which is exactly what the British economy needs right now.

"The demand for good quality budget accommodation is growing at such pace across the country that we have added 146 new UK locations to our target requirements list. Therefore we can build more hotels in the locations where consumers need them. With our ability to be flexible and innovative in terms of the development schemes we can undertake, we are in a very strong position to achieve our growth target of having 1,000 hotels by 2020."

The ability of Travelodge to capitalise on the opportunities provided by its own strong trading position is greatly helped by its flexible development model. Last year, Travelodge announced its 'Metrolodge' strategy, which will see it taking smaller properties in sought-after locations and office buildings across the UK. Travelodge's success reflects the demand for budget hotels in prime central areas and historic UK holiday sites to support the growing Staycation trend.

About Travelodge

Founded in 1985, Travelodge is Britain's very first budget hotel chain and today is one of the largest budget hotel chains in the UK, with a portfolio of over 600 hotels and over 47,000 bedrooms across the UK, Ireland and Spain.

In Spain, Travelodge has an established profitable presence and as of April 2024, its portfolio doubled to 12 hotels, having recently acquired a further six properties. Travelodge has ambitious growth plans within this market and has identified the top 20 key locations where it would like to open additional hotels in Spain.

Welcoming over 22 million guests annually across the UK, Ireland and Spain, the majority of Travelodge hotels are located in major cities, towns and holiday hotspots as well as by airports and key business hubs. With 90% of its hotels rated 4* or above on TripAdvisor, Travelodge is proud to offer guests across its diverse customer base a good value experience – whether they are travelling for business or leisure. In 2023, approximately 50% of rooms were sold for less than £60.

Whether out celebrating a birthday, going to a concert or sporting event, visiting friends and family, taking a business trip, working away from home, or taking a short break, we help people to go and do their thing by Being the Brilliant Base.

Travelodge continues to invest in its ongoing hotel refit programme which is expected to see 50% of the Travelodge room estate upgraded to its new design by the end of 2024. The brand is also continually evolving its quality offering to deliver a better experience for its diverse mix of business and leisure guests such as its new look Bar Cafe design, 85 Bar Café, which has been rolled out to selected UK hotels as part of the refit programme.

Travelodge is focussing on its environmental and social impact, with sustainability integral to its business strategy. It's Better Future sustainability plan aims to build a more sustainable future for its customers, colleagues and the planet, and it is underpinned by three core pillars: Inclusive – ensuring we are accessible, inclusive and well-priced to our customers and colleagues; Caring – creating a caring and healthy environment for our colleagues and customers and ensuring their wellbeing; and Conscious – Travelodge is conscious of its impact on the planet, taking into account the waste it produces, the energy and other resources it consumes and the carbon emissions it generates.

For further information visit travelodge.co.uk or the Travelodge Hotels Limited LinkedIn page.