The Royal Dublin Hotel on Dublin's O'Connell Street is to get a name change and a facelift following the awarding of the Park Plaza Europe Hotel franchise to the Fitzwilliam Hotel Group.

It will be known as the Park Plaza Royal Dublin. The Fitzwilliam Hotel at Belfast International Airport will also become a Park Plaza.

Planning permission was granted to the Royal Dublin Hotel last year for upgrading the façade and extending the number of bedrooms. The hotel occupies a prominent position at the top of O'Connell Street and would be within stepping distance of the Abbey Theatre if the Carlton cinema site is approved as the location for its redevelopment.

The Fitzwilliam Hotel Group also operates the five-star Fitzwilliam Hotel at St Stephen's Green and the Portmarnock Hotel and Golf Links.

Commenting on the franchise, Mr Michael Holland, chief executive officer of the Fitzwilliam group said: "There is a low percentage of branded products in the Irish hospitality industry and we are going to see more international groups here.

"New products on the market have put pressure on rates and this is partly the reason why we have joined an international group - to give us added advantage."

Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts is a part of Carlson Hospitality Worldwide, which operates more than 1,660 hotels, resorts, restaurants and cruise ship operations in 82 countries.

Among the names in the Carlson family of brands and services are: Carlson Marketing Group, Carlson Wagonlit Travel, Regent International Hotels, Radisson Hotels & Resorts, Country Inns & Suites By Carlson, Park Inn, Results Travel, Cruise Holidays, Radisson Seven Seas Cruises and T.G.I. Friday's restaurants. A substantial amount of business is booked electronically these days and being part of a large international group will provide a wider marketplace for the hotel. On joining Park Plaza, the two hotels will gain immediate access to the Carlson Hotels worldwide reservation system, as well as benefiting from a number of marketing, sales and public relations programmes.

The exclusive franchise for Ireland will see the Fitzwilliam Group looking for other hotels to join the brand, both by purchasing, newbuilds, existing hotels and managing properties looking for a branded image.

Mr Holland said the group hope to have up to 10 Park Plaza hotels in Ireland within five years. "We have begun talking to existing hotels around the country and are particularly interested in hotels in excess of 75 beds with restaurants and slotting into the four-star category. It is very important that the product matches the Park Plaza brand."

In a another franchise deal from the mother company, Carlson Hospitality, Rezidor SAS, which holds the exclusive franchise rights in Europe, Middle East and Asia to the Radisson and Park Inn brands, is opening a Park Inn hotel in Dundalk and a Radisson SAS hotel in Cork.

The 122-room Cork property will be the seventh Radisson SAS in Ireland when it opens early next year. The 84-room property will be open by the end of the year.

Franchising of hotel brands has become a new trend in Ireland in the past five years. Other brands that have entered the market include the Westin, Marriott, Four Seasons, Days Inn, Choice International, Quality Inns and Clarion. Access to global reservations systems is a key to attracting business.