Event Hospitality and Entertainment Ltd (Event), has reached agreement with Adelaide Airport Ltd (AAL) to develop and operate a new seven-storey, 165-room design-driven hotel within the Adelaide Airport precinct.
The hotel is being developed under Event’s Atura brand and will feature a restaurant and bar, a business centre, flexible function and meeting spaces plus a port-cochere for patron drop off and collect.
Launched in late 2013 with the opening of Atura Blacktown in Sydney, the brand delivers a fresh take on the hotel experience fusing edgy design, high-energy public areas and the latest technology.
“We’re delighted to be working with Adelaide Airport Ltd to deliver our dynamic, Atura brand to South Australia,” said David Seargeant, Group Managing Director of Event Hospitality and Entertainment Limited.
“Packed with personality and with a focus on great design and quality food and drink offerings, Atura Hotels offer design-savvy travellers a fresh travel experience; one we believe will hold great appeal for all airport precinct visitors and not just hotel guests.
“The unique design for our Adelaide Airport property will seamlessly connect the terminal and hotel with the plaza space,” he said.
Urban, industrial and design-inspired, Atura’s signature free-flowing communal spaces will be a key design feature at the Adelaide Airport Hotel; the restaurant, bar, lobby and general public spaces will integrate seamlessly with the broader airport terminal and can be accessible by all travellers, not just hotel guests. A walkway will directly link the hotel with the airport’s Level 2 domestic and international check-in area.
“Today’s announcement really kicks off our long term vision to create an easy, seamless connection between our aeronautical activities and our planned Airport Business District,” said Adelaide Airport Managing Director, Mark Young.
“Atura Hotels offers contemporary and functional hospitality spaces with an exceptional food and beverage offering that we believe will offer a real point of difference to the airport precinct. We’re delighted to be selected as the first airport in Australia to welcome the brand.
“Adelaide Airport has grown substantially in recent years, and many of our passengers have indicated they would welcome the convenience of a close hotel to enable catching early morning flights after meetings or conferences.
“More than 8,700 people are directly employed on the airport and many business people fly to Adelaide to conduct business solely at the airport.
“We expect demand to grow as passenger numbers continue to increase and we develop our Airport Business District infrastructure,” Young said.
South Australian Tourism Minister, Leon Bignell, added: “I’m thrilled to welcome the award-winning Atura brand to Adelaide and to see this significant investment into our tourism infrastructure.
“Visitors are flocking to Adelaide to experience our vibrant city, much-loved food and wine regions, accessible natural experiences and our exciting line up of world-class events. Now, they will have a fantastic new accommodation option at the heart of our world-class airport.
“International airline seats have grown by 66 per cent in the past five years and will only grow further when we welcome new direct flights from mainland China to Adelaide in mid-December through China Southern Airlines. This follows the introduction of Qatar Airlines to Adelaide in May – opening up connections to more than 140 destinations around the globe.
“The South Australian visitor economy is currently at a record $5.95 billion and we are working hard to achieve our goal of an $8 billion tourism industry by 2020,” he said.
Construction is expected to start in April 2017 with an anticipated opening in the December 2018 quarter.