Sports fans and new launches help easyHotel revenues to leap

easyHotel has recorded first half sales growth (easyhotel)

Sports fans booking rooms during the World Snooker Championship and for major football matches has helped double revenue at budget accommodation chain easyHotel.

As well as strong bookings at the group’s Sheffield hotel during the April snooker tournament, occupancy was boosted in January by the FA Cup match between Manchester City and Arsenal.

That, coupled with three hotel launches in Dublin, Paris and Madrid, contributed to sales in the six months to June 30 reaching £31.5 million, up from £14.3 million a year earlier.

easyHotel has more than 40 hotels, of which 16 are franchised. Five of its hotels are in London. It said revenue per room during the period was 45% higher, or 27% on a comparable basis.

Karim Malak, who leads easyHotel, said: “The market fundamentals are positive for the affordable sector. We are finding that our customer is changing, and our offering is becoming more attractive to a wider audience.”

The chain was founded in 2004 by Sir Stelios Haji Ioannou and is today 79.1% owned by an investment fund managed by ICAMAP and developer Ivanhoé Cambridge.