Alton Towers plans third hotel in expansion bid
Wednesday, May 06, 2009, .


ALTON Towers is considering building a third hotel as part of a multi-million pound, 10-year plan to consolidate the resort's position as the country's number one theme park.
Parent company Merlin Entertainments is to outline the proposals to the district council within the next two months.
The blueprint will include a substantial investment in new rides, infrastructure and heritage features, as well as the provision of further on-site accommodation.
The resort is currently responsible for 2,900 jobs – and £38 million of income – in the local economy.
A third hotel would provide a major jobs boost for the area.
Alton Towers took on 240 staff to run Splash Landings when that hotel opened in 2003.
At present, a total of 1,594 guests can be accommodated on-site every night, in the 13-year-old 175-room Alton Towers Hotel and at Splash Landings itself, which has 216-rooms and also features an indoor water park.
Alton Towers' corporate communications manager Liz Greenwood said: "We have conducted a very detailed economic impact survey which looks at how our business affects those around us and the wider district and county.
"Over the next 10 years, many millions of pounds will be invested in the resort – on its infrastructure, rides, attractions, heritage, the house and peripheral activities, as well as further accommodation."
Ms Greenwood added: "Ten per cent of our total guests spend the night with us, which means there is a huge marketing opportunity for local accommodation providers to tap into.
"During the winter months we deal with conference and trade bookings, meaning both hotels are currently fully booked all year round, not only when the resort is open.
"We are trying to reposition ourselves from a teenage market to cater for families.
"In trying to encourage families to stay for longer, there is a need to provide further accommodation of some kind."
Ms Greenwood said the resort would seek to do more than just erect "world class" roller-coasters – such as the Corkscrew's replacement for 2010, "Secret Weapon Six" – to entice thrill-seekers from all over the UK.
She said: "In 2008, we worked extremely hard to attract families and we were very successful – growing in this sector from 35 per cent to 50 per cent of our total volume.
"Now, 75 per cent of our rides and attractions are suitable for children under 10."
Alton Towers attracted around 2.5 million visitors last year – accounting for approximately half of all visitor trips to the Moorlands – and it is hoped that it will be able to repeat its success this season.
Ms Greenwood said: "It is quite difficult to make a judgement yet but early indications are good and we are cautiously optimistic.
"With the credit crunch, we believe more British people are staying in the UK and visiting attractions which offer value for money, for which Alton Towers has a very good reputation and also offers a fantastic experience.
"And even though we don't pro-actively market ourselves abroad, the relative strength of the euro against the pound may mean more European visitors are coming to the area as a whole."
Liz Bradley, owner of Chained Oak bed and breakfast, in Farley Lane, Alton, reckoned that her appeal to a different clientele would mean an additional hotel would not cause too much disruption.
She said: "We get a lot of passing trade and if Alton Towers can keep encouraging customers to the Staffordshire Moorlands, we should be OK.
"But I'm afraid a further hotel could really have an impact on bed and breakfasts further outside the village."
The chairman of Alton Parish Council, Tony Moult, said he remained cautious on how any future development would effect smaller businesses.
He said: "I don't think those running bed and breakfasts would be too happy with the idea of competition from a third hotel.
"There is a lot of room for investment Alton Towers could make in the village, such as pedestrian crossings, which I hope can be included in their 10-year plan."

"IanBassi" wrote:

further accommodation of some kind

No where do Alton Towers mention a new Hotel. I think its log cabins, but I am sure we will find out in the coming months when planning permission is posted.

Hopefully they leave plenty of room for future scarefest mazes :)

Ian

"rollercoaster_crazy" wrote:

Alton Towers plans third hotel in expansion bid
Wednesday, May 06, 2009, .


ALTON Towers is considering building a third hotel...

"bohoboy" wrote:

Still, it's hardly the "Under Construction" the TT front page makes it out to be :roll:

"TT Front Page" wrote:

Third hotel under consideration

"CoasterCrazyChris" wrote:

No log cabins pleeease!

They dont suit Alton Towers. I know with all the wood and stuff around it does make sense but Alton Towers should scream PREMIER!

...

"CoasterCrazyChris" wrote:

No log cabins pleeease!

They dont suit Alton Towers. I know with all the wood and stuff around it does make sense but Alton Towers should scream PREMIER!

By the time their built anyway the whole credit downturn business willl be nearing an end hopefully so we wont be needed "affordable" accomodation...

name='Altonator' date='Apr 21 2007, 10:31 PM']
In the next few years I think Alton Towers should build a 3rd hotel on the land to the left of the Alton Towers Hotel (behind the spa building) and theme it all on Alton Towers Rides and attractions past and present even the bedrooms perhaps 1st floor childrens rides 2nd floor family rides and 3rd floor coasters and thrill rides and also open a musem next to the 3rd hotel which explains the history of the park and tells you about old rides using pics videos etc.
They should also build a new water ride on the car park near Air (a family ride is needed here) and the new water ride and Air could extend the oasis of calm and the water ride could go right across the car park to Cariba Creek (outside area) and back to air see dark blue on plan or they could build the smaller scale ride which is light blue on the plan.
The parking spaces which are lost could be replaced by extending the car park in front of the new hotel.
see the plan below.
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/467529849/" target="_blank]http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/467529849/[/url]