IHG Further Demonstrates Its Commitment to the China Market

IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group), the world's largest hotel company, will hold its Board and Executive Committee meetings this week in China - a further sign of the company's strong commitment to the country and its fastest growing market.

As the first international hotel group to enter China 27 years ago, IHG is now China's largest and most rapidly growing international hotel company, with 150 hotels open and another 150 under development to be opened in the next five years.  

IHG recently announced its plan to further reinforce its leadership position in China's hotel market by developing a new upscale, China-centric hotel brand. Now in the early stages of development, the brand will be specially designed for the Chinese market. Alongside China's growing travel and tourism economy, IHG says it aims to build on the success of its current brand lineup with this unique addition.

While in Shanghai, Chairman of the Board David Webster expressed IHG's vision for the new brand as, "One for Chinese travelers to grow up with, nurturing the same trust and comfort as experienced by foreigners discovering a familiar brand like InterContinental upon their arrival in the China."

Statistics from the World Tourism Organisation (WTO) show that China will become the world's largest inbound tourist destination by the year 2015, with an estimated 183 million overnight stays. Meanwhile, China recorded more than 1.9 billion domestic tourist trips in 2010; and that number is expected to grow in 2011 and onwards. In the next 10 to 15 years, outbound trips taken by Chinese travelers will grow from 10 million to more than 100 million.

"China is the fastest growing travel and tourism economy in the world and we aim to build on our leadership position by developing this new upscale brand, while continuing the fast growth of our existing brands including InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, Hotel Indigo, Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express," said Webster.  

He added, "China is a significant part of our global strategy, and I am delighted that along with my board colleagues, we are able to spend time in China outlining our commitment and future development plans."

In order to support the Group's plan to double the size of its business, IHG says it will hire an additional 90,000 people in the next three to five years, adding to its current 45,000 employees. IHG makes significant investments in local talent development and providing a variety of opportunities for staff growth. More than 20 IHG Academies have been established in partnership with leading tourism institutions in key cities throughout the country, offering a selection of theoretical sessions, lectures by IHG executives, and internship exposure at IHG hotels.  

***
Media Contact
Name: Sharona Tao
Tel: +86 2893 3309
E-mail: [email protected]

Notes to Editors:

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is the world’s largest hotel group by number of rooms. IHG franchises, leases, manages or owns, through various subsidiaries, over 4,400 hotels and more than 640,000 guest rooms in 100 countries and territories around the world. The Group owns a portfolio of well recognised and respected hotel brands including InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Indigo®, Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn® Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Express®, Staybridge Suites® and Candlewood Suites® and also manages the world’s largest hotel loyalty programme, Priority Club® Rewards with 56 million members worldwide.

IHG has almost 1,300 hotels in its development pipeline, which is expected to create 160,000 jobs worldwide over the next few years.

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the Group’s holding company and is incorporated in Great Britain and registered in England and Wales.

IHG offers information and online reservations for all its hotel brands at http://www.ihg.com/media and information for the Priority Club Rewards programme at www.priorityclub.com. For our latest news visit www.ihg.com/media, Twitter www.twitter.com/ihgplc or YouTube http://www.youtube.com/ihgplc