 
As Russia booms, Western hotel operators are fighting for a piece of the action, scouring the provinces for locations for their ambitious mid-range rollouts and sparring for the capital"s juiciest sites.
As Russia booms, Western hotel operators are fighting for a piece of the action, scouring the provinces for locations for their ambitious mid-range rollouts and sparring for the capital"s juiciest sites. While luxury brands like Ritz-Carlton and Westin have been focusing on securing a beachhead in Moscow, home to more billionaires than anywhere else in the world, some of the most fervent activity is in the huge, underdeveloped markets of the regions. But what remains to be seen is whether Russia is as keen on international operators as the operators are on Russia. Major mid-sector hotel chains such as Ibis, Best Western and Holiday Inn say they are planning significant pushes into smaller provincial cities in bids to become the country"s dominant domestic chain. In April, Best Western signed a franchise agreement for a dozen Russian locations, mainly in the regions, while late last year Days Inn announced plans to develop 45 locations around the CIS. Park Inn is due to open its first hotel in January in Yekaterinburg, with the brand"s owner, Rezidor SAS, planning to open up to 50 hotels in the CIS by 2012, mostly under the Park Inn Brand.
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