IHG is to expand its presence in the Russian market with plans to open 15 new properties in the country by 2019 - doubling its current portfolio in the region.

Following the signing of a franchise agreement with Regional Hotel Chain, IHG will be debuting its Holiday Express brand in the region.

The 15 new Holiday Inn Express hotels will add around 2,250 rooms, when signed, to IHG’s current Russia development pipeline of more than1,700 rooms

The locations for the first two of these hotels are Chelyabinsk and Voronezh. Holiday Inn Express Voronezh - Kirova is due to open in the second half of 2014 and Holiday Inn Express Chelyabinsk - Central Station, is scheduled to open mid-2015.

IHG’s chief development officer, Europe, Robert Shepherd said: “Russia is a priority market for IHG in Europe.

“As Russia grows in economic importance, the introduction of the Holiday Inn Express brand will not only be important to meet local mid-scale demand in-country, but also as part of a future strategy to capture inbound demand as a brand of choice.”

IHG has made a commitment to growth in Russia, and has previously announced plans to have 100 hotels across Russia and the remainder of the CIS open and in the pipeline by 2020.