ABSTRACT
At the end of 2006, the 52 countries of Europe had around 5 million hotel rooms of which 1.5 million were affiliated to hotel chains. In total there were more than 400 companies that operated portfolios of hotels within which there were more than 500 hotel brands. Of these brands, 185 accounting for 1.1 million rooms were present in more than one country and thus were international in their supply profile. In the year 2000 the European hotel chain presence accounted for about 100 international brands with about 700,000 rooms. Over the period, international chains grew their room stock in Europe by 410,000, an annual average of 8% and an indicative capital value of €88 billion. Drawing on the Otus Hotel Brands Database (2007) we will illustrate patterns in the international development that occurred, we will explain why this burst of international hotel chain expansion occurred and we will identify how it occurred. Before we tackle these questions we will review the academic literature on the internationalization of hotel chains and we will conclude with more effective interpretations of the development of international hotel chains.
