Joie de Vivre Hospitality has merged with Thompson Hotels to create a new global hotel group, provisionally called JT Hospitality.

Joie de Vivre and Thompson are equal partners in the merger, which took effect on 1 October 2011.

The new group will be formally renamed next year in tandem with the completion of a comprehensive joint branding strategy that is underway.

The parent company will be introduced in the first quarter of 2012.

The new hotel group manages 45 properties with a combined annual revenue of $500m.