UK budget hotel operator Travelodge is to spend £135 million on expansion within and around the country’s national parks.
The company said it is responding to the rise in the number of people staying in or near the UK’s 15 national parks.
The Travelodge property team is prioritising a search for 37 sites in total, with key locations including Aviemore in the Cairngorns, Betws-y-Coed in Snowdonia, Grasmere in the Lake District and Minehead on Exmoor.
Commenting, Guy Parsons, chief executive of Travelodge, said: “Traditionally Britons have opted for a coastal or city break, but as more people explore Britain they are rediscovering new holiday hotspots and as a result we have seen a significant surge in rural breaks.”
Clare O'Connor from the UK Association of National Park Authorities added: “In these difficult times tranquil areas of mountains, meadows, moorlands, woods and wetlands provide a chance to take time out from the stresses of daily life as well as give the opportunity to make the most of the rich diversity of travel destinations within Britain.”
Hotel sizes will range from 30 rooms to over 100, with most properties expected to be situated outside of the parks themselves, due to planning restrictions.
The expansion is expected to create more than 500 jobs.
Travelodge currently has 475 hotels with a total 33,502 rooms, employing more than 6,000 staff.
