Premier Travel to Rebrand

Whitbread has today unveiled its intention to re-brand its budget hotel business, Premier Travel Inn, to Premier Inn. The re-brand will be completed at a cost of £13million together with £9million of capital expenditure and will be supported by its largest ever advertising campaign.

Following the acquisition in 2004 of Premier Lodge, the PTI brand name has served the business well as it has effected its transition from Travel Inn to the business it is today, retaining all the equity built up in Travel Inn with the positive brand association of the word “Premier” from the purchase of Premier Lodge.

Throughout 2006 an extensive research programme with business, personal and prospective users of PTI was conducted and the findings showed that whilst the PTI product, distribution and service is market leading, the brand does not have the recognition it deserves, especially with leisure users

The decision to re-brand as Premier Inn will make it easier for consumers to remember, recognise more quickly the premier offering in the budget hotel sector and create clear blue water between the brand and its competitors.

Comments Gerard Tempest, Marketing Director, Premier Travel lnn: “We know we’re the leading budget brand for ‘intent to recommend’ amongst business and leisure travellers*, and now’s the opportunity to make it simple for them to remember our name and what we stand for. The re-brand will over-arch everything in the business, and be used as an opportunity to springboard our “guest obsession” activity even further forward.