Hilton posts 23m-euro turnover

Hilton Hotel achieved a growth in turnover of up to 14% last year, totalling some 23 million euros. “Demand is very high and the proximity to the European Union is certainly an important factor,” Friedrich Niemann, Athenée Palace Hilton Bucharest general manager told ZIARUL FINANCIAR. He added this year”s target was a 5-10% turnover growth. The hotel”s occupancy rate in 2005 stood at 78% and is operated by Hilton under a management contract. Their main competitor is the Marriott Hotel, Niemann says. “We are also competing with Crowne Plaza, though not in terms of location. It does not matter that the two hotels have the same owner (i.e. vice-premier George Copos). As long as there are two management contracts signed with two different companies, each of them will try to make a profitable business, and therefore we will compete,” he explained. Hilton is pursuing the opportunity of affiliating a new hotel in Romania, in Bucharest or even in some other city. “Our company is interested in expansion. After the very good results of this hotel we want to keep growing in Romania,” says Niemann. Interesting locations in the country as far as the company is concerned are Timisoara, Cluj and Arad. ZF