DUNSTABLE (dpa-AFX) - British hotel and restaurant group Whitbread Plc (WTB.L) reported its trading performance to 1st December 2011. The company continues to deliver strong growth with total sales increase of 11.4% in the third quarter, driven by its leading brands, with Costa growing revenues by 25.2% and Premier Inn by 8.3%. Whitbread also added that its like for like sales performance keeps it on track to deliver full year results in line with view.
Premier Inn increased total room nights sold by 7.4% to 9.6 million, whereas room rate was up 2.1% which, combined with occupancy up 0.8ppts to 80.3%, improved like for like revpar by 3.2% with growth across both midweek and the weekend, the company stated.
Andy Harrison, chief executive of Whitbread noted, 'In line with our growth programme, this year we will open 4,000 new rooms and 300 Costa stores, creating some 2,500 new UK jobs.'
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX
