With 331 rooms, InterContinental Hotel Lisbon is one of Portugal’s largest hotels (Photo: IHG)
The TOPHOTELPROJECTS construction database shows that hotel giant IHG will add 94,226 rooms to its global portfolio in the years ahead, with a strong focus on the APAC region.
IHG will open 430 new hotels with 94,226 rooms in the coming years. We take a closer look at this company’s impressive pipeline.
IHG’s growth plans by year
In the last few weeks of 2020, IHG will launch 50 hotels with 8,989 rooms. 36 of these properties are already in the pre-opening phase.
In 2021, things will be busy once again – 153 launches are planned, encompassing 32,563 keys in total. The pace will slow down slightly in 2022, however, with 96 properties and 20,805 rooms slated to open. For 2023 and beyond, another 131 projects with 31,869 keys are already in the pipeline.
Of these 430 new hotels, 280 will be in the four-star segment. The remaining 150 will fall into the five-star luxury category.
Regional growth plans for IHG
The APAC region will see the most growth by far; here, 225 hotels with 52,604 rooms will open in the near future. By way of comparison, North America is a long way back in second, with 81 planned launches and 11,996 rooms.
Europe takes third place with 71 openings and 13,173 keys, while the Middle East will see 38 hotels and 13,712 rooms go live. The fact that the Middle East has a similar room count to Europe but far fewer properties overall shows that hotels in the former will on average be much larger than the latter.
IHG also plans to grow its presence in South America and Africa by nine and six hotels respectively.
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IHG’s main national growth markets
Unsurprisingly, the world’s largest country China takes the lead here with 124 new hotels and 29,120 rooms on the cards. The US comes a distant second with 71 planned launches and 10,605 keys, whereas Australia will get 20 new IHG properties with a total of 4,153 rooms.
The group also plans to significantly grow its presence in India (19 extra hotels and 2,450 rooms) and Saudi Arabia (14 planned openings and 7,953 keys).
Fastest growing IHG brands
Holiday Inn Hotels & Resorts will expand its portfolio faster than any other IHG brand – it has 86 projects and 22,590 rooms in the pipeline. Hotel Indigo follows with 69 new hotels and 11,362 keys.
Luxury flag InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, meanwhile, will grow its global presence by 61 properties and 14,745 rooms. Last but not least, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts will get 53 new hotels with 14,733 keys, and Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants will add 31 properties and 5,831 keys to its offering.
Outstanding IHG hotel projects around the world
Wherever you look, IHG seems to be opening impressive properties right now. Let’s dip into the database to pick out a few that you won’t want to miss.
Crowne Plaza Kota Kinabalu Waterfront will be part of a mixed-use development at a prime waterfront location in downtown Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia when it opens in Q3 2021. The 367-room hotel will deliver eight versatile meeting spaces, including a large ballroom holding up to 600 people, while the rooftop bar and restaurant will be the first offering of its kind in Kota Kinabalu. Overlooking a waterfront promenade, they promise to provide unparalleled sunset views. An outdoor pool, spa and fully equipped 24-hour fitness centre will also ensure guests stay energised and at the top of their game throughout their stay.
Over in Laos, the 400-room InterContinental Vientiane will be part of the new World Trade Centre Complex due to be completed in late 2021. Strategically located a short drive away from Wattay International Airport and adjacent to Lan Cang Avenue, Vietnam Street and French Street, InterContinental Vientiane will be close to the prime minister’s office, international embassies and major convention centres. Guests will also be able to easily access landmark tourist attractions such as the Lao National Museum and the Morning Market.
Elsewhere, the stunning Yarra Valley in Australia will be home to the fancy Voco Yarra Valley from early 2023. This 216-room hotel will boast distinctive features like an onsite gin distillery, lavender farm, mirrored maze, amphitheatre cut from natural ground and provedore serving and selling local produce. It’ll also feature large conference and meeting facilities, a gym, bars, a family restaurant and kids’ entertainment facilities – making it perfect for weekday MICE travellers, weekend leisure guests and families.
And finally, a 1950s state-run guesthouse in the Chinese metropolis of Wuhan is being transformed into the 349-key HUALUXE Wuhan Wuchang. With a variety of meeting facilities, a large ballroom, a signature Chinese restaurant and tea houses, the hotel appears well-suited to meeting the city’s growing need for corporate and leisure accommodation. After a complete renovation and modernisation, the property will launch in Q4 2021.
Many TOPHOTELNEWS articles draw on exclusive information from the TOPHOTELPROJECTS construction database. This subscription-based product includes details of thousands of hotel projects around the world, along with the key decision-makers behind them. Please note, our data may differ from records held by other organisations. Generally, the database focuses on four- and five-star schemes of significant scale; tracks projects in either the vision, pre-planning, planning, under-construction, pre-opening or newly opened phase; and covers newbuilds, extensions, refurbishments and conversions.
IHG operates hotels in three different ways – as a franchisor, as a manager and on an owned and leased basis.