4 September
2012: Ibis Christchurch opened its doors today (4 September),
becoming the
first city centre hotel to re-open since the February 2011 earthquake.
The Ibis –
located in Hereford Street, just off Cathedral Square – has undergone
major
remedial work, including the renovation of all 155 rooms and public
areas, as
well as structural strengthening to meet the city’s new building code.
Just
four years old when the quake hit, the Ibis received only minor damage
and
re-opens as a virtually new hotel featuring the latest Ibis branding
and
facilities.
The hotel
opening will play a crucial role in the revitalisation of
Christchurch’s
tourism sector, signaling that the city is firmly back on the map and
ready to
welcome visitors. It will be a major benefit to business travellers and
officials involved in the reconstruction of the city, allowing easier
access to
buildings and offices around the city centre and encouraging other
businesses
to re-open to service the new demand. Local residents will also receive
a boost
with up to 50 people employed at the hotel.
The launch of
the hotel comes a month after the announcement of a masterplan for the
“re-imagining” of the city. The Ibis will be very close to the proposed
convention centre as well as other key tourism, shopping and
entertainment
facilities.
For tourists
planning to visit the city now, the Ibis is adjacent to
the new shopping heart of Christchurch, the Re:START Mall in Cashel
Street. The
"pop up" shopping precinct is the new vibrant heart of the city,
featuring many new designer shops and modern cafes. The Ibis re-opening
will
also add significantly to the city’s restaurant stocks, with the new
Oopen
Pasta & Grill offering a menu featuring South Island specialty
product and
wines.
Hotel Ibis
Christchurch General Manager, Tim Dearsley, said that the 4th
September re-launch date was selected because it represents the second
anniversary of the first major quake to hit Christchurch, though it
didn’t have
anywhere near the same impact as the subsequent February 2011 quake.
“Christchurch
tourism has suffered enormously because of the perception that the city
was
closed following the earthquake,” Dearsley said. “This was never true,
but the
re-opening of the Ibis will highlight that the city centre is now
accessible to
travellers and that there is plenty to do in the city, including many
of the old
activities, as well as new and innovative tourism experiences.
“While some of the CBD is still cordoned off,
it is important to note that the ‘red zone’ has reduced from 387
hectares to 49
hectares today and the authorities aim to have the city fully open by
the
middle of 2013.
“The
re-opening will help accelerate the city’s regeneration process. It
will not
only ease the critical shortage of accommodation and provide employment
for
local residents in Christchurch but it will allow significant progress
to be
made in reviving the city’s central business district and tourism
industry.
“The city has
really needed the confidence boost of a major international hotel brand
re-opening to cater for domestic and overseas visitors.”
Accor’s
Novotel Christchurch hotel is scheduled to re-open in mid 2013, while
the
future of the group’s two All Seasons hotels is yet to be determined
due to
restricted access to the hotels following the earthquake.
About Ibis
Ibis, the worldwide economy hotel brand of the Accor
group, offers consistent quality accommodation and services in all its
hotels,
for the best local value: a well-designed and fully-equipped bedroom,
major
hotel services available 24/7 and a wide choice of on-site food and
beverage
options. The quality of the Ibis standard has been recognised by the
International Organization for Standardization certification ISO 9001
since
1997. Ibis is also the world’s first hotel chain to demonstrate its
environmental commitment through securing the ISO 14001 certification,
which
has already been awarded to one third of its hotels. Established in
1974, Ibis is the European leader and
one of the first economy hotel chains in the world, with more than
107,000
rooms and 900 hotels in 48 countries, including 14 in Australia and 5
in New
Zealand.
About Accor
Accor, the world's leading hotel operator
and market
leader in
Europe, is present in 90 countries with more than 4,200 hotels and
500,000 rooms. Accor's broad portfolio of hotel brands - Sofitel,
Pullman, MGallery, Novotel, Suite Novotel, Mercure, Adagio, ibis, all
seasons/ibis Styles, Etap Hotel/Formule 1/ibis budget, hotelF1 and
Motel 6 - provide an extensive offer from luxury to budget. With
145,000 employees
worldwide, the Group offers to its clients and partners nearly 45 years
of
know-how and expertise.