Leading accommodation operator Quest Apartment Hotels has confirmed it will open seven new properties in New Zealand between June 2021 and July 2022.

Located across the North and South Island in metropolitan, regional, and suburban locations, the new sites will take the existing New Zealand portfolio to 42, and Quest’s global footprint to 177.

“Our expansion in New Zealand reflects a long-running commitment to growth in areas where the corporate traveller needs to be, and in this instance, demand has only increased due to the current landscape, said Quest Apartment Hotels Managing Director, David Mansfield.

Quest Takapuna, a 51-room hotel on the North Shore of Auckland, will lead the busy program, opening its doors in June 2021, followed by the opening of Quest Mt Eden in September, Quest Queenstown in October, and Quest on Cambridge in Christchurch in November.

In 2022, Quest 256 Lambton in Wellington will open in February, Quest Hastings in June and Quest Mt Maunganui in July.

The announcement comes as preliminary figures from Tourism Industry Aotearoa show the arrangement is currently skewing in New Zealand’s favour, with more people entering New Zealand than leaving since the commencement of the trans-Tasman bubble.

“These new hotels are coming to fruition at a time when Aussies and New Zealanders are taking advantage of the chance to traverse the Tasman for business and leisure,” Mansfield said.

“Early uptake of the opportunity has been very promising, but naturally there’s also been some trepidation in the market, with some travellers understandably erring on the side of caution.

“Now a few weeks in, confidence appears to be building, so while Quest is primarily focussed on the domestic market, with such a strong brand presence, we are confident we will yield some good results,” he said.

Quest first came onto the New Zealand market in 1998 and is now the largest single hotel brand in the country.

Like Quest Apartment Hotels in Australia, Quest’s stable of properties in New Zealand operate on a business franchise format model. All seven of the new hotels in New Zealand have already been acquired by franchisees.

In Australia, Quest has a further nine agreements for lease signed, with construction due to commence in next 12 months, totalling 715 rooms.

“It might seem counterintuitive to be signing deals and opening hotels on the back of such a painstaking year in 2020 and with a long road to full recovery ahead, but our locations are selected on the premise of clear market demand and fixed economic drivers, so quality accommodation is a requisite and one we’re fit to deliver on,” Mansfield said.

Quest is a member of The Ascott Limited, a Singapore-based company that has grown to become one of the leading international lodging owner-operators.