A joint venture has today been signed between Accor Hospitality, Tainui Group Holdings and Auckland International Airport, to develop and operate a world-class (4-star plus) 260 room Novotel hotel at Auckland Airport, to be completed in time for Rugby World Cup 2011.

Tainui will act as lead developer and investor in the joint venture, with Auckland Airport holding a minority interest. The hotel will be developed on a long term ground lease granted by Auckland Airport and will be managed by Accor. The total forecast completed cost is $65million including hotel construction estimated at approximately $45million. The deal remains conditional on project finance and construction tender.

Novotel Auckland Airport will be designed by Warren & Mahoney Architects, and the final design will infuse subtle references to NZ culture and heritage, offering style and convenience and a great first and last impression to travellers.

Tainui Group Holdings CEO, Mike Pohio, said, “This deal represents a significant development opportunity for Tainui that we believe will complement our existing successful hotel investments. The Airport hotel will also generate considerable long-term economic growth and provide many new jobs for the Auckland region. The hotel will assist Auckland and New Zealand tourism and trade. It will cater for the inevitable economic recovery and growth when it returns.”

Auckland Airport general manager property, Peter Alexander said, “There has been a clear demand from the tourism industry and travellers for a hotel in the airport terminal precinct for some time. We are exceptionally pleased to bring together such a strong group of partners, each bringing a strong track-record, skills and experience. The outcome will be a great hotel and will deliver yet another string to the bow of Auckland Airport, one of the 10 best airports in the world.”

Accor Hospitality Vice President, Paul Richardson, said, “Accor is delighted to enter this joint venture with Tainui and Auckland Airport, and is looking forward to applying our world-class hotel management expertise to providing this global gateway with a truly international accommodation, conference and food and beverage alternative. Novotel Auckland Airport promises to deliver a world-class guest experience enhanced by authentic uniquely New Zealand touch points and references that will be underpinned by the warmth and generosity of our New Zealand people.”

Warren & Mahoney Design Notes:

Design Director at Warren and Mahoney, Andrew Barclay, says “the hotel will be an elegant, contemporary facility which represents the Auckland Airport brand, the cultural heritage of Tainui and the service values of Accor.” Above all, he says, “the hotel’s high degree of façade transparency, its natural materials and its dramatic/sculpted form are intended to provide a first insight into the essential qualities of New Zealand and its people.”

About Tainui Group Holdings
Tainui Group Holdings (TGH) is the commercial arm of Waikato-Tainui. Established in 1998, TGH has built a reputation for excellence in property development, investment and management and has a history of developing successful hotels. TGH’s guiding principle is to lead Maori economic development.

About Accor Hospitality
Accor, a major global group and the European leader in hotels, as well as the global leader in services to corporate clients and public institutions, operates in nearly 100 countries with 150,000 employees. It offers to its clients over 40 years of expertise in two core businesses:

• Hotels, with the Sofitel, Pullman, MGallery, Novotel, Mercure, Suitehotel, Ibis, all seasons, Etap Hotel, Formule 1 and Motel 6 brands, representing 4,000 hotels and nearly 500,000 rooms in 90 countries, as well as strategically related activities, such as Lenôtre;
• Services, with 30 million people in 40 countries benefiting from Accor Services products in employee and public benefits, rewards and loyalty, and expense management.

About Auckland Airport
Auckland Airport - World Airport Award Winner 2009
Auckland Airport has been voted the 10th best in the world and the best airport in the Australia Pacific region, in the 2009 independent Skytrax World Airport awards. The World Airport Survey is conducted by UK-based aviation research organisation, Skytrax. The survey is completed by approximately 8.2 million travellers from more than 190 airports around the world. The questionnaire asks travellers to evaluate their experiences across 39 different airport service and product factors - from check-in, arrivals, transfer through to departure at the gate. www.airlinequality.co.nz