InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has announced the signing of the Holiday Inn Express Marília.

The new-build, 102-room Holiday Inn Express hotel will be among the first internationally branded properties in the city of Marília, and is slated to open toward the end of 2013. 

With a population of 220,000, Marília is predominantly a business destination known for its many sugar cane refineries that produce the important commodity, ethanol.

The hotel will be centrally located, affording easy access to major thoroughfares, and minutes from Marília’s principal shopping centre, industrial district and airport.

“Marília is an excellent example of the type of city that is emerging and will support the growth of the Holiday Inn Express brand,” said Joel Eisemann, chief development officer, the Americas, IHG.

“The country’s growth is generating great demand for internationally branded hotels. The strength of our brands and experience in the region make IHG an ideal franchising partner.”

Located in the state of São Paulo, around 270 miles from the city of São Paulo, the hotel is also within 50 miles of the key regional city of Bauru.

Owned by Hotelaria Agisol, a subsidiary of Grupo Bertim, a prominent construction company in the state of São Paulo, the hotel is franchised by an affiliate of IHG.

The Holiday Inn Express Marília will have a modern design, with a strong focus on sustainability, including energy-efficient systems, effluent wastewater treatment plans, solar panels, and LED lighting.

The Holiday Inn Express brand is designed to be the smart choice for value-conscious business and leisure travellers.

The $1BN global brand relaunch of the Holiday Inn brand family, the largest project of its kind in hospitality history, continues to drive increased quality and consistency across the global portfolio.

The new hotel will feature a contemporary image with emphasis on arrival and welcome services, guestroom and guest bath comfort and a redesigned logo and signage.