59-571: Premier Inn Limited is a British limited service hotel chain and the UK's largest hotel brand, with more than 800 hotels, with over 72,000 rooms. It operates hotels in a variety of locations including city centres, suburbs and airports, competing with the likes of Travelodge and Ibis hotels. The company was established by Whitbread as Travel Inn in 1987, to compete with Travelodge . Whitbread bought Premier Lodge in July 2004 and merged it with Travel Inn to form
118-584: A canal, known as the Salwa Canal , in 2018. The plan was abandoned in 2019. On 4 January 2021, Kuwait National TV announced that Saudi Arabia would restore all diplomatic ties with Qatar, reopen air space to Qatari aircraft and reopen the Qatar–Saudi land border. Later that evening, it was announced that Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt agreed to restore ties with Qatar. On 4 January 2021, it
177-658: A continuation of Qatar's foreign policy rivalry with Saudi Arabia and the UAE. In June 2017, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain put a ban on Qataris and their businesses. Qataris were not allowed to enter or live in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, or Bahrain, unless they had a spouse living there, in which case they were required to carry a visa in order to enter these countries. Qatar Airways aircraft were not allowed to fly over these countries. Saudi Arabia stated that they would turn its land border with Qatar into
236-647: A joint venture agreement with Emirates Group to launch in the Gulf Cooperation Council region. This was the first move to expand the brand beyond the UK. The joint venture identified three sites in Dubai, creating more than 800 new rooms. The first Premier Inn in Dubai to open was a 300-room hotel at Dubai Investment Park. A similar size hotel at Dubai Airport, and a 220-room hotel at Dubai Silicon Oasis on Emirates Road, were opened. Dubai Ibn Battuta Mall Hotel has also been opened, connected to Ibn Battuta Mall . There
295-443: A nominal medium of exchange. Plans to introduce a single currency had been drawn up as far back as 2009, however due to the financial crisis of 2007–2008 and political differences, the UAE and Oman withdrew their membership. Companies and investors from GCC countries are active in mergers and acquisitions . Since 1999, more than 5,200 transactions with a known value of US$ 573 billion had been announced. Investors include
354-459: A number of sovereign wealth funds . The GCC launched common economic projects to promote and facilitate integration and to increase resilency. The GCC Interconnection Grid connects the power grids of member states. In 2009, it initiated operations and by 2013, all six members were connected. A water interconnection project has been discussed but, as of January 2023, there have been no notable developments. Unlike other leading aviation regions like
413-507: A single currency. Kuwait's finance minister stated that a currency should be implemented without delay. Negotiations with the UAE and Oman to expand the monetary union were renewed. The GCC Patent Office was approved in 1992, and established soon after in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Applications are filed and prosecuted in the Arabic language before it and grants patents valid in all GCC member states, but
472-544: A swimming pool and gym, except the hotel situated at Norman Cross . Premier Travel Inn started to launch a new bedroom design during this year to move away from the differences of "Travel Inn" and "Premier Lodge". Until then rooms had remained as they had been before and new hotels were designed as "Travel Inns". Whitbread shortened the name to "Premier Inn" in October 2007; by 2009 the business accounted for more than 70% of Whitbread's earnings. In September 2007, Whitbread announced
531-518: A swimming pool and gym. Premier Inn opened their second hotel in January 2020 near Hamad International Airport, which is also located in the close vicinity of Souq Waqif , National Museum of Qatar and Museum of Islamic Art, Doha . In 2016, Premier Inn launched its first hotel in the German market – Frankfurt Messe . As of July 2021, it has grown to 28 hotels across the principal German cities, partly through
590-543: A third party. Roadchef restaurants were alongside motorway service sites which were unlicensed and never served the Premier Inn breakfast selection. Premier Lodge sites were accompanied by pubs owned by "The Spirit Group" such as "Chef and Brewer" or "Millers Kitchen". Many inner-city and airport locations feature a brand called "Thyme" located within the hotel building. Originally Travel Inn had "Slice" and Premier Lodge has "BarEst" which were pretty much identical. "The Kitchen"
649-412: A timetable and action plan for establishing a central bank and chose a currency regime , met for the first time on 30 March 2010. Kuwaiti foreign minister Mohammad Sabah Al-Sabah said on 8 December 2009 that a single currency may take up to ten years to establish. Oman and the UAE later announced their withdrawal from the proposed currency. In 2014, major moves were taken to ensure the launch of
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#1732858470350708-561: Is a separate office from the Saudi Arabian Patent Office. The first GCC patent was granted in 2002. As of 2013, it employed about 30 patent examiners . Amidst the Bahraini uprising , Saudi Arabia and the UAE sent ground troops to Bahrain in order to protect vital infrastructure such as the airport and highway system. Kuwait and Oman refrained from sending troops. Instead, Kuwait sent a navy unit. The secretary-general of
767-744: Is also a Premier Inn located in the Abu Dhabi Capital Centre, and another Premier Inn located in Abu Dhabi International Airport which opened on 19 November 2013. Premier Inn operate a total of 7 hotels in Dubai, and 2 hotels in Abu Dhabi. Premier Inn has two locations in Qatar. One in Education City, next to Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC), which opened in May 2017. This hotel also has
826-494: Is an emerging hotspot for events, including the 2006 Asian Games in Doha , Qatar . Doha also submitted an unsuccessful application for the 2016 Summer Olympics . Qatar would later host the 2022 FIFA World Cup . Recovery plans have been criticized for crowding out the private sector, failing to set clear priorities for growth, failing to restore weak consumer and investor confidence, and undermining long-term stability. The logo of
885-506: Is composed of the heads of state of the member states. It is the highest decision-making entity of the GCC, setting its vision and goals. Decisions on important issues require unanimous approval, while issues on procedural matters require a majority. Each member state has one vote. The presidency rotates based on the Arabic alphabetical order of the names of the member states. The Ministerial Council
944-542: Is composed of the Foreign Ministers of all the member states. It convenes every three months. It formulates policies, and makes recommendations to promote cooperation and achieve coordination among the member states, when implementing ongoing projects. Decisions are submitted in the form of recommendations, which the Supreme Council can approve. The Ministerial Council is also responsible for preparations of meetings of
1003-472: Is currently in progress. The interoperability of professional qualifications, insurance certificates and identity documents is also underway. In 2014, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia took major steps to ensure the creation of a single currency. Kuwait's finance minister said the four members are pushing ahead with the monetary union but said some "technical points" need to be cleared. He added, "A common market and common central bank would also position
1062-546: The European Union , members have not agreed to an open skies policy. As such, GCC airlines do not have unlimited market access rights to member states and compete to capture international air traffic flows. The GCC has also launched major rail projects to connect the peninsula. The railways are expected to fuel intra-regional trade while helping reduce fuel consumption. Over US$ 200 billion will be invested to develop about 40,000 kilometres (25,000 mi) of rail network across
1121-704: The Gulf Cooperation Council Athletics Championships (first held in 1986; youth section from 2000) sailing, basketball, swimming, tennis, gymnastics (senior and youth levels), weightlifting, futsal, snooker, and table tennis. Qatar's support for the Muslim Brotherhood across the Middle ;East-North Africa ( MENA ) region, Hamas and radical Islamists in Libya, has led to increasing tensions with other Arab states of
1180-581: The Muslim Brotherhood in Syria, whereas Qatar has historically supported it. They also pledged other support including operating training facilities for Syrian rebels, in Saudi Arabia, and allowing the use of their airbases by other countries fighting ISIL. Some GCC countries also send some troops to fight the opposition government in Yemen. The GCC Standardization Organization is the standardization organization of
1239-549: The UAE , they announced their withdrawal from the monetary union project in May ;2009. The name Khaleeji has been proposed as a name for this currency. If realized, the GCC monetary union would be the second-largest supranational monetary union in the world, measured by the GDP of the common-currency area. Other stated objectives include: The area has some of the fastest-growing economies in
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#17328584703501298-644: The Arab States of the Gulf ( Arabic : مجلس التعاون لدول الخلیج العربية ), also known as the Gulf Cooperation Council ( GCC ; Arabic: مجلس التعاون الخليجي ), is a regional , intergovernmental , political, and economic union comprising Bahrain , Kuwait , Oman , Qatar , Saudi Arabia , and the United Arab Emirates . The council's main headquarters is located in Riyadh , the capital of Saudi Arabia. The Charter of
1357-586: The GCC Council of Health Ministers, the GCC Education and Training Bureau, the GCC Council of Labour & and Social Affairs Ministers, and The Gulf Cup Football Tournament . The Council issued directives that all the necessary legal measures be taken, so that Yemen would have the same rights and obligations of GCC member states in those institutions. The union has served as a grouping for sports co-operation and competition. The GCC states have an annual meeting of
1416-604: The GCC as one entity that would have great influence on the international financial system". The implementation of a single currency and the creation of a central bank is overseen by the Monetary Council. There is currently a degree to which a nominal GCC single currency already exists. Businesses trade using a basket of GCC currencies, just as before the Euro was introduced, the European Currency Unit (ECU) had been used as
1475-469: The GCC consists of two concentric circles. On the upper part of the larger circle, the phrase Bismillah - "in the name of God" - is written in Arabic , and on the lower part of the circle is written the council's full name. The inner-circle contains an embossed hexagonal shape representing the six countries. The inside of the hexagon shows a map encompassing the Arabian Peninsula, on which the areas of
1534-503: The GCC strongly endorsed the use of international force in Libya . GCC member states joined coalition efforts to enforce the no-fly zone. In September 2014, GCC members Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, UAE and Qatar, and pending member Jordan commenced air operations against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in Syria. Saudi Arabia and the UAE, however, are among the states that oppose
1593-441: The GCC was signed on 25 May 1981, formally establishing the institution. All current member states are monarchies , including three constitutional monarchies (Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain), two absolute monarchies (Saudi Arabia and Oman), and one federal monarchy (the United Arab Emirates, which is composed of seven member states, each of which is an absolute monarchy with its own emir ). There have been discussions regarding
1652-424: The GCC, according to Oman's Minister of Transport and Communications. According to Ramiz Al Assar, Resident World Bank advisor for the GCC, it will link the six member states as a regional transport corridor, further integrating with the national railway projects, deepening economic social and political integration, and it is developed from a sustainable perspective. The project, estimated to be worth $ 15.5 billion,
1711-601: The GCC. Yemen is also a member of the GCC Standardization Organization. The Gulf Organization for Industrial Consulting (GOIC) was founded in 1976 by the six GCC member states; Yemen joined the organization in 2009. It is headquartered at Doha, Qatar. The organization chart of GOIC includes the board members and the General Secretariat. The Board is formed by member state representatives appointed by their governments. There are six member states of
1770-524: The Persian Gulf . These tensions came to a head during a March 2014 meeting of the GCC, after which the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain recalled their ambassadors to Qatar. Some financial economists have interpreted the 2014 Saudi–Qatari rift as a tangible political sign of a growing economic rivalry between oil and natural gas producers, which could "have deep and long-lasting consequences" beyond MENA. On 5 June 2017, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia,
1829-547: The Premier Inn website. [REDACTED] Media related to Premier Inn at Wikimedia Commons Travelodge UK Too Many Requests If you report this error to the Wikimedia System Administrators, please include the details below. Request from 172.68.168.151 via cp1112 cp1112, Varnish XID 385144803 Upstream caches: cp1112 int Error: 429, Too Many Requests at Fri, 29 Nov 2024 05:34:30 GMT Gulf Cooperation Council The Cooperation Council for
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1888-642: The Supreme Council and its agenda. The voting procedure in the Ministerial Council is the same as in the Supreme Council. The Secretariat is the executive arm of the Gulf Cooperation Council. It takes decisions within its authority, and implements decisions approved by the Supreme or Ministerial Council. The Secretariat also compiles studies relating to cooperation, coordination, and planning for common actions, and occasionally releases reports regarding
1947-409: The UAE, and Egypt had officially cut diplomatic ties with Qatar. Saudi Arabia said it took the decision to cut diplomatic ties due to Qatar's "embrace of various terrorist and sectarian groups aimed at destabilising the region", including the Muslim Brotherhood, al-Qaeda , ISIL and Iran-supported groups in Saudi Arabia's eastern province of Qatif . Political researcher Islam Hassan viewed this rift as
2006-551: The UK by 2020. The Premier Inn chain can be found from Thurso in the north of Scotland to Helston , Cornwall in south-west England. Hotels are found either in city centres or on the outskirts near to major A roads and motorways. In October 2010, the Premier Inn hotels located at Roadchef and Moto motorway service stations were sold to Days Inn after the franchise agreement was terminated. Hotels vary in size, with many smaller inns and large purpose-built city centre hotels. Most Premier Inn hotels are newly built, although many of
2065-515: The Youth and Sports Ministers of each state to boost youth and sports initiatives in the region. The promotion of the hosting of international sports events has also served an economic purpose for the union's countries, leading to investment and development in the region. The GCC Games, a quadrennial multi-sport event , was established by the union and first held in 2011 . There are numerous long-running GCC Championships for individual sports, including:
2124-448: The acquisition of Ninety Nine, Four Side, Centro and Boutique 009 hotels. As well as the standard Premier Inns, which are limited service hotels, there are two sub-brands. Hub by Premier Inn is a city-centre format with smaller rooms but in-room technology such as tablets. Zip by Premier Inn is lower-priced and has smaller pod-like rooms. Some rooms do not have windows and there is a simplified food and drink service. The first Zip hotel
2183-463: The banking industry of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), diversity is increasingly recognized as a strategic asset that goes beyond mere corporate social responsibility. This shift towards embracing a diverse workforce is driven by the recognition that varied perspectives and experiences spur innovation, improve decision-making, and expand market reach in the fast-paced world of finance, increasing market share and profitability. The GCC Supreme Council
2242-608: The chain's inner city locations in the UK are housed within redeveloped office buildings which would otherwise have been demolished. Some hotels such as "Bristol Airport" in Sidcot are housed in older buildings. In the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire , Premier Inn said three of their hotels in Maidenhead, Brentford and Tottenham were built with cladding. All three were tested and found to comply with building fire standards. None of them had
2301-569: The countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council was signed on 11 November 1981 in Abu Dhabi, UAE. These countries are often referred to as "the GCC states". In 2001, the GCC Supreme Council set the following goals: Oman announced in December 2006 that it would not be able to meet the 2010 target date for a common currency. Following the announcement that the central bank for the monetary union would be located in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, rather than in
2360-484: The current business under the name Premier Travel Inn , which was then shortened to the current name in October 2007. Premier Inn accounts for 70% of Whitbread's earnings. The chain started trading in 1987 as "Travel Inn". The first site to open was next to "The Watermill" Beefeater restaurant in Basildon . In July 2004, Whitbread acquired another hotel chain, Premier Lodge, for £5 million. This added 141 hotels to
2419-628: The first GCC and the European Union summit was held in Brussels, Belgium. It was co-chaired by Charles Michel and the rotating GCC President Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani , under the theme “Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity”. The Human Rights Watch requested the EU to take advantage of the first summit with Gulf leaders, and challenge the involvement of the UAE and other neighbouring states in
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2478-565: The future membership of Jordan , Morocco , and Yemen . During the Arab Spring in 2012, Saudi Arabia proposed to transform the GCC into a "Gulf Union" with tighter economic, political and military coordination, a move considered to be intended to counterbalance Iranian influence in the region, however objections were raised by other countries. In 2014, Bahraini prime minister Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa said that current events in
2537-414: The member countries are colored in brown, borderless. A common market was launched on 1 January 2008, easing movement of goods and services, with plans to create a fully integrated single market . Implementation later lagged behind, after the 2009 financial crisis. The creation of a customs union began in 2003, and was completed and fully operational by 1 January 2015. In January 2015, the common market
2596-516: The official establishment of the GCC in 1981, strengthening the collective power and influence of the Gulf countries. The charter was signed in Arabic in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on 21 Rajab 1401 on the Islamic calendar (corresponding to 25 May 1981 on the Gregorian calendar ). The signatory states on the founding document are the only current members of the GCC. An economic agreement between
2655-681: The portfolio. Whitbread renamed every hotel "Premier Travel Inn". Prior to the merger with Premier Lodge and rename, Travel Inn had also operated two sub-brands, namely "Travel Inn Metro" - for properties located in city centres, and "Travel Inn Capital" - for properties located in Central London . In 2005, Premier Travel Inn opened its 500th hotel in Hemel Hempstead . In early 2006, Premier Travel Inn purchased 11 Holiday Inn hotels in England and Wales. These sites kept their leisure facilities such as
2714-564: The purchase of Golden Tulip UK including six hotels trading in the UK under the Tulip Inn and Golden Tulip brands. The hotels were converted to Premier Inns on 2 October 2007. In April 2008, Whitbread announced a £100 million expansion of Premier Inn in London over the following three years. In July 2008, Whitbread bought 21 Express by Holiday Inn hotels from Mitchells and Butlers in exchange for 44 Beefeater & Brewers Fayre restaurants where it
2773-551: The region highlighted the importance of the proposal. The Peninsula Shield Force is the military arm of the GCC, formed in 1984. Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah of Kuwait, alongside the support of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan of the UAE, played a crucial role in fostering the idea of closer cooperation among Gulf states, laying the groundwork for the formation of the Gulf Cooperation Council. Their shared vision for regional unity, security, and economic integration led to
2832-636: The same type as Grenfell Tower. In 2007, Premier Inn entered Ireland, when it took over the Tulip Inn in Swords . Premier Inn offer bus transfers to and from Dublin Airport, which is nearby. As of 2019, Premier Inn is currently pursuing an expansion in Dublin and has bought four sites in the city centre and Docklands area including at Aungiers Street, Castleforbes Business Park, Gloucester Street South and Jervis Street. In 2006, Premier Inn announced that it had entered into
2891-707: The union: The associate membership of Iraq in certain GCC-related institutions was cancelled after the invasion of Kuwait . Yemen was in negotiations for GCC membership in 2007, and hoped to join by 2016. Yemen is already a member of the GCC Standardization Authority, the Gulf Organization for Industrial Consulting (GOIC), the GCC Auditing and Accounting Authority, the Gulf Radio and TV Authority,
2950-410: The work done by the GCC as a whole, and the implementation of its own decisions. The current Secretary-General is Nayef Falah Mubarak Al Hajraf, and his deputies include Abdulaziz Al Auwaishig and Khalifa Alfadhel. On 15 December 2009, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia announced the creation of a Monetary Council, to introduce a single currency for the union. The board of the council, which set
3009-461: The world, mostly due to a boom in oil and natural gas revenues coupled with a building and investment boom backed by decades of saved petroleum revenues. In an effort to build a tax base and economic foundation before the reserves run out, the UAE's investment arms, including Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, retain over US$ 900 billion in assets. Other regional funds have several hundreds of billions of dollars of assets under management. The region
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#17328584703503068-481: Was almost impossible to book for that price because very few promotional rooms were available. Premier Inn stated that this was due to its rooms being "popular". Online and digital promotion now drive a significant proportion of bookings made for the brand. Premier Inn have made substantial investments in both its main website and mobile app for smartphone bookings, and these are further complemented by affiliate marketing , whereby third party websites drive bookings onto
3127-464: Was also further integrated, covering full equality among GCC citizens to work in government and private sectors, the ability to access social insurance and retirement coverage, real estate ownership rights, capital movement, and access to education, health and other social services, in all member states. However, some barriers remained in the free movement of goods and services. The coordination of taxation systems, accounting standards and civil legislation
3186-510: Was made official at the Al-Ula summit , where the blockading countries, along with Qatar, signed an official agreement and ended the rift after three years and seven months. In January 2022, the GCC and Pakistan finalised the Joint Action Plan for Strategic Dialogue (2022-26). In September 2023, the GCC and Pakistan signed a preliminary deal on a free trade agreement. On 16 October 2024,
3245-532: Was not possible to build a Premier Inn. In 2011, the 600th hotel was opened in Stratford-upon-Avon . Premier Inn have sold off some of their smaller hotels (which had fewer than 30 rooms) to Good Night Inns. Most of these were Premier Lodge sites in less prominent locations. In July 2015, the 700th Premier Inn was opened in Kingston-upon-Thames , London. The company plans to operate 85,000 bedrooms in
3304-454: Was opened in Roath , Cardiff in 2019. All Premier Inns are built with a restaurant adjoined (often in a separate building). They would provide their own selection of daytime meals but traditionally all served the Premier Inn breakfast. Former Travel Inn sites were mainly accompanied by Whitbread's "Beefeater" or "Brewers Fayre" restaurants and originally "TGI Fridays" until that brand was sold off to
3363-434: Was scheduled to be completed by 2021. As of May 2022, railway construction UAE and Saudi Arabia have progressed significantly, but other members' efforts have lagged. Saudi Arabian Railways , Etihad Rail , and their respective national governments have invested 15 billion dollars as of early 2015 into railway infrastructure to create rail networks for transporting freight, connecting cities, and reducing transport times. In
3422-504: Was the first major budget hotel chain in the UK to invest in prime time television advertising. After Travel Inn and Premier Lodge merged, animated adverts were used to advertise the merger. On 2 October 2007, comedian Lenny Henry became the face of the campaign and is now in every advert. In May 2011, the BBC 's consumer television programme Watchdog criticised its widely advertised £29 promotion, having received complaints from viewers that it
3481-607: Was the name given to smaller city centre restaurants. Former Express by Holiday Inn sites have internal breakfast rooms where kitchens were added on to offer cooked breakfasts to guests as EBHI used to only offer a continental selection. Those sites would have a Mitchells & Butlers restaurant next to it but were run independently. As restaurants have changed hands over recent years many have started their own breakfast menus which has led Premier Inn to turn some of its rooms into small breakfast rooms and kitchens to continue offering their breakfast menus to guests at each site. Premier Inn
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