MCLEAN, VA — Homewood Suites by Hilton, Hilton Worldwide’s international brand of upscale, all-suite, extended-stay hotels, continues its expansion into Canada, with two new hotel openings in Q1 2014, and four more properties slated to open in the market in Q2 2014.

The brand’s 11th Canadian property in Hamilton opened on Feb. 21. Homewood Suites Winnipeg Airport-Polo Park opened March 12, and is the brand’s 12th property in Canada and first hotel in the Manitoba market.

The brand’s wave of Canadian hotel openings comes on the heels of what Scotiabank highlighted in a recent report on the Canadian tourism market as a national trend of increased domestic travel due to Canadians’ tighter travel budgets and a weaker Canadian dollar. These factors have many Canadians booking trips closer to home, significantly supporting the domestic tourism market.

Simultaneously, there has been an uptick in the number of international travellers visiting Canada, with nearly 2,800 more international overnight trips to Canadian markets taken in December 2013 than during the same time period in 2012, according to a recent report from the Canada Tourism Commission.

“As the Canadian tourism market continues to grow and become more lucrative, it remains an important area for development for Homewood Suites,” said Bill Duncan, global head, Homewood Suites by Hilton and Home2 Suites by Hilton.

Over the last decade, Homewood Suites has steadily built its presence in Canada, which now exceeds 1,300 suites across 12 hotels. The majority of the brand’s current Canadian portfolio is located in Ontario and Quebec, including locations in Burlington, Cambridge, Hamilton, London, Markham, Mississauga, Mont Tremblant, Oakville, Sudbury, Vaughan and Toronto Airport, which shares a flag with Hampton Inn & Suites as the first dual-branded hotel property in the Canada market.

“Kicking the first quarter off with entrance into the Manitoba market, Homewood’s surge into new markets throughout Canada is in line with the brand’s overall goal of increasing its footprint within urban and primary suburban North American markets,” added Duncan.

Additional Canada property openings this year include the following hotels, all slated to open in Q2 2014:

• Homewood Suites by Hilton Calgary-Airport featuring 122 suites is slated to open in April 2014 and is owned by Prestige Hospitality HW. The hotel will be Homewood’s first in Alberta.
• Homewood Suites by Hilton Ajax, Ontario featuring 104 suites is slated to open in April 2014 and is owned by Wella Investments Inc.
• Homewood Suites by Hilton Halifax-Downtown featuring 135 suites is slated to open in May 2014 and is owned by SilverBirch No. 15 Operations LP. The hotel will be Homewood Suites’ first in Nova Scotia.
• Homewood Suites by Hilton Waterloo/St. Jacobs, Ontario featuring 97 suites is slated to open in June 2014 and is owned by Benjamin Hotel Inc.

For more information, visit homewoodsuites.com.