Six Continents Hotels to Take Over Management of Carlton Darwin

Six Continents Hotels is to expand its Holiday Inn brand in the Northern Territory, Australia, with the re-branding of the Carlton Hotel Darwin on 22 April, 2003.

The property, which has been purchased by BG Investment Holdings Pty Ltd, will be re-branded as Holiday Inn Esplanade Darwin to become the third Holiday Inn hotel in the Northern Territory, joining Holiday Inn Darwin and Kakadu's Gagudju Crocodile Holiday Inn. The related BG Investment Management Pty Ltd owns the recently re-branded Crowne Plaza Darwin and Crowne Plaza Alice Springs, also managed by Six Continents Hotels.

"The Northern Territory shows enormous potential for business and leisure travel and is an ideal location to increase the presence of the world's most  recognised hotel brand," said Six Continents Hotels' Chief Operating Officer for Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific, Phil Lee.

"Having two Holiday Inn hotels in the Darwin central business district will allow us to apply operational synergies across group bookings and the conference market, not to mention the benefits that will come as being the  most prominent mid-scale hotel brand in the Territory.

"This will include being linked to the extensive infrastructure supporting the individual properties within our global network, such as our 16 reservations centres around the world - taking millions of dollars worth of bookings every day - as well as our international sales teams and global guest loyalty programme, Priority Club Rewards. Through these resources we will also be  able to escalate the global appeal of the destination itself," Mr Lee said.

Holiday Inn Esplanade Darwin features 197 rooms and suites and extensive meetings facilities including a function room which caters up to 500 people. Situated on the Esplanade, the hotel overlooks Darwin Harbour and is adjacent to restaurants, shopping and the central business district. 

"We've made a substantial investment into the Northern Territory because of its potential as a business and leisure destination. We believe Six Continents Hotels is the best choice to manage our portfolio and that both domestic and  international guests will embrace the Holiday Inn brand," said Mr Lloyd Berger, Managing Director of BG Investment Holdings Pty Ltd.