The UK's budget hotel market could double in size, Alan Parker, ceo of Whitbread which owns Britain's largest low cost chain Premier Inn.
He said the chain, also the largest hotel group in the UK, was continuing to "outperform the market."
It had bought Tulip Inn UK earlier this year, adding a further 2000 rooms to Premier Inn.
He said that as the budget market in the UK grew, he expected Premier to increase its share. Interim results for the six months to August 30, showed that Premier Inn's revenue had risen by 14.4% from £230.4m in 2006 to £264.1m in 2007.
Mr Parker said the hotels had delivered an "industry leading performance" with occupancy for the six months up 1.3% to 82.1%,
The acquisition of Tulip had added 770 rooms with another 1,300 in the pipeline.
"We are well on our way to opening over 3,500 rooms by the full year and beating our 3,000 room target.
"We are progressing well with our plans for bolt-ons, extensions and new site openings," he said.
Aer Lingus seeks legal advice on Ryanair stake
Aer Lingus is to take legal action to force rival carrier Ryanair to sell its stake in Aer Lingus.
The move comes after the EU indicated that it had no power to force Ryanair to sell its 29.4%.
Philip Lowe, its director general for competition, said the European Commission was based on a decision by its Merger Regulation.
This said there was no legal authority to force Ryanair to sell.
But the EC's position gives Aer Lingus the right to appeal to it in the European Court.
John Sharman, Aer Lingus chairman, said his airline was "fully prepared to face competitive opposition on the runways."
But he claimed Ryanair "has used its shareholding to attempt to interfere with the commercial business of Aer Lingus and to further its own interests."
Ryanair rejected the claim saying it had no influence over Aer Lingus.