Image: Starwood's Aloft brand will open in St Petersburg

Starwood Hotels and Resorts has announced plans to double its portfolio in Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) with seven new hotels by 2015.

The new openings will include the first Aloft-branded hotel in Russia, with Aloft St Petersburg – owned by Remstroyintour LLC and Ludmila Kudryavtseva – to launch in 2015.

Other properties planned by Starwood in the region include the group’s first move into Ukraine with the Sheraton Kiev Olympiysky and a Sheraton-branded property in the Tajikistan capital of Dushanbe – both 2013.

Starwood said it will focus on expanding its portfolio in developing markets such as Russia over the coming years, with more than 70 per cent of global economic growth expected to come from those regions.

Frits van Paasschen, president and CEO of Starwood, said: "As one of the world's fastest-growing outbound travel markets, Russia represents a great opportunity for us.

"With a rising middle class, growing disposable income, an affinity for luxury brands and huge pent-up demand for foreign travel, Russia is emblematic of the growth we are seeing in regions around the world and key to our global growth plans."

Click here for more information about Starwood's plans to open seven new properties in Russia and the CIS.

Click here for more information about Aloft St Petersburg.

Image: ID1974/shutterstock.com