21 June 2022
IHG Hotels & Resorts and Sun Hospitality Group take decade-long relationship to new heights
- Four hotels with 2,709 rooms in Ba Na Hills and Quang Hanh’s Yoko Park
- MoU signed to bring Vignette Collection onsen-wellness resorts to Vietnam
IHG Hotels & Resorts (IHG), one of the world’s leading hotel companies, has announced a strategic alliance framework agreement with long-term partners Sun Hospitality Group (SHG) to introduce fresh and innovative concepts, experiences and products in Vietnam.
IHG and SHG – a member of Sun Group – will extend their decade-long relationship with a multi-property agreement to develop four hotels across two destinations, offering 2,709 rooms to meet the rising demand from domestic and international guests.
IHG’s Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn Resort and voco brands will take centre stage in the expansion of Ba Na Hills – Vietnam’s leading highlands entertainment complex – while its much-loved Holiday Inn Resort brand will make its debut in Quang Ninh Province, within Yoko Park – the first large-scale hot spring resort in the country.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has also been signed by the companies to explore further projects – starting with the development of a range of Vignette Collection onsen-wellness resorts and products across Vietnam, in collaboration with world-renowned spa and wellness consultant Raison d’Etre (RdE).
The announcement coincides with two major milestones: the 15th anniversary of Sun Group, and 10 years of welcoming guests at the award-winning InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort, which opened in June 2012.
As part of the agreement, IHG and SHG also intend to collaborate on learning and development, quality assurance, the joint creation of new lines of products and services, and corporate social responsibility efforts in Vietnam.
Serena Lim, Vice President, Development, South East Asia and Korea, IHG said: “It’s wonderful to be celebrating more than a decade of working with Sun Hospitality Group – together, we’ve achieved so much in that time. Today’s announcement is a testament to the fantastic relationship we have built since first setting out our shared vision for InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort, which is now celebrating its 10th anniversary as one of the most sought-after hotel destinations in Asia.
“Our new landmark portfolio deal of four hotels with 2,709 rooms increases 10-fold the total number of rooms IHG is managing for SHG. I’m delighted that our plans to develop three hotels together in Ba Na Hills cements our status as the leading hotel operator in Central Vietnam with more than 4,000 rooms opened and, in the pipeline, across our InterContinental, Hotel Indigo, Crowne Plaza, voco and Holiday Inn brands in Danang and Hoi An.
“At IHG, we’re always thinking about growth, so I’m especially excited by the prospect of taking our relationship with SHG to the next level with an MoU for a strategic alliance framework agreement to collaborate on further projects – starting with the debut of Vignette Collection in Vietnam. I’m certain that the brand’s onsen-wellness concept and experience will set a new benchmark for hospitality in the country, and we can’t wait to introduce it to our guests.”
Nguyen Vu Quynh Anh, Chief Executive Officer, Sun Hospitality Group, said: “We are excited to extend our successful partnership with IHG. Together, we’re committed to pushing the boundaries of Vietnam tourism and hospitality by creating world-class destination concepts and experiences.
“SHG and IHG have always aligned with our inherent desire to innovate, do business responsibly and think about the future. We’re developing stunning destinations for domestic and international travellers that have long-term sustainability in mind, and will directly create jobs and economic development opportunities for people and communities across Vietnam.
“Together, we’ll promote the beauty and potential of Vietnam globally for many years to come with our three new IHG-managed hotels in Ba Na Hills, an outstanding wellness experience at Holiday Inn Resort Yoko Park, and a range of Vignette Collection all-villa onsen-wellness resorts, starting with two in Quang Hanh. Offering one-of-a-kind stays, the Vignette Collection brand is a great fit for our onsen-wellness collaboration, with each hotel serving up a distinct service style and character to emphasise each particular location.”
This latest collaboration between IHG and SHG introduces Vignette Collection to Vietnam. IHG’s newest luxury and lifestyle brand is a collection of luxury, independent and unique hotels that benefit from IHG’s global scale and expertise, while retaining their unique identity and experience.
The 178-villa Sun Onsen Village, Vignette Collection and 194-villa Quang Hanh Onsen Village, Vignette Collection, located adjacent to the popular Yoko Onsen, are the first two projects under collaboration. Like others to follow, each project will have its own theme and focus, and feature individual experiences and products tailor-made by Raison d’Etre (RdE), the project’s spa and wellness consultant and partner.
These holistic wellness destinations are perfectly aligned with the growing wellness travel trend1. Having experienced long periods of isolation, travellers are re-evaluating their personal priorities and seeking opportunities to improve their physical, mental, and spiritual health. According to a Wellness Tourism Industry statistic, the global wellness tourism market is expected to surpass US$900 billion by the end of this year.
Vietnam continues to be a strong growth market for IHG which has 15 open hotels* in the country and aims to double its estate by 2027 through a pipeline of 20 properties, making more than 6,000 additional rooms available to guests.
Following the recent brand debut of Regent Hotels & Resorts with Regent Phu Quoc, IHG will introduce its premium brand voco hotels by opening voco Ma Belle Danang next year. It is continuing to grow across all market segments and welcoming domestic and international travellers to many new secondary and tertiary destinations, including Ha Long Bay, Sapa, Ba Na Hills, Yoko Park, Phu Quoc, Vinh Yen and more.
*As of 31 March 2022
1“Eat, Play, Glow: Wellness and medical tourism boom in Asia” published in Colliers.com on 6 February 2020.
APPENDIX
About Ba Na Hills Entertainment Complex (Phase Two)
Phase two of the expansion of Ba Na Hills – set to be completed in 2026 – is especially symbolic for Sun Group as it coincides with its 15th anniversary. The integrated resort destination was the company’s first large-scale tourism investment, and it is now taking it to new heights by once again partnering with IHG, targeting 10 million visitors by 2030.
The newly-expanded Ba Na Hills will feature three IHG-managed hotels totalling 2,093 rooms: 602-room Crowne Plaza Danang Ba Na Hills, 843-room Holiday Inn Resort Danang Ba Na Hills and 648-room voco Danang Ba Na Hills.
The hotels will be fully integrated into further phase two developments, including landscaped gardens, retail and dining outlets, and an events amphitheatre for 2,500 people.
About Quang Hanh’s Yoko Park
Yoko Park is the first large scale hot spring resort in Vietnam, and part of Sun Group’s efforts to enhance Quang Ninh Province, home of the fabled Halong Bay
As part of its aim to develop the infrastructure of Quang Ninh province, the company has built a connecting highway and privately developed Van Don International Airport on a private/public partnership basis to support the tourism ecosystem. It has also introduced unique developments into the province, including the Sun World theme park in Halong City.
Opening in 2026, the 616-room Holiday Inn Resort Yoko Park Onsen will be built against a stunning natural landscape of limestone mountains and natural hot springs, expanding on the existing Yoko Onsen Quang Hanh Resort.
As part of this destination resort, guests will have access to themed baths, a mini water park, retail village, wellness centre and dining experiences, as well as outdoor activities such as mountain hiking.
Ends
About IHG®
IHG Hotels & Resorts [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is a global hospitality company, with a purpose to provide True Hospitality for Good.
With a family of 17 hotel brands and IHG One Rewards, one of the world's largest hotel loyalty programmes, IHG has over 6,000 open hotels in over 100 countries, and more than 1,800 in the development pipeline.
- Luxury & Lifestyle: Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas, Regent Hotels & Resorts, InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Vignette Collection, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, Hotel Indigo
- Premium: voco hotels, HUALUXE Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, EVEN Hotels
- Essentials: Holiday Inn Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn Express, avid hotels
- Suites: Atwell Suites, Staybridge Suites, Holiday Inn Club Vacations, Candlewood Suites
InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the Group's holding company and is incorporated and registered in England and Wales. Approximately 325,000 people work across IHG's hotels and corporate offices globally.
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About Sun Group
Established in 2007, Sun Group started out in Vietnam as a local business enterprise and has since become one of the country’s leading companies across four key sectors: Entertainment, Hospitality, Infrastructure and Real Estate. In each sphere of influence, it has left a timeless imprint across Vietnam, forging innovative projects and structures of great beauty and value that transcend the test of time.
Sun Group owns three member brands: Sun World, Sun Hospitality and Sun Property. For many consecutive years, the group has improved the reputation of Vietnam's tourism in the international arena with timeless works and a series of prestigious awards. At the end of 2021, Sun Group was the pride of Vietnamese tourism for winning 24 awards at the 2021 World Travel Awards (WTA) for resort tourism, entertainment and infrastructure projects invested in by the group.
In particular, Sun Hospitality Group by Sun Group is a valuable brand in the hospitality industry of Vietnam, owning a series of world-class projects, including InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort, Hotel De La Coupole – MGallery in Sa Pa, and JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay.
Despite the tourism sector having encountered unprecedented difficulties due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Sun Group continues to launch two new hotels and resorts, named Capella Hanoi in the capital of Hanoi, and New World Phu Quoc Resort in Phu Quoc island. The two new members of the group immediately affirmed its reputation: Capella Hanoi was recently honoured as one of the "Best New Hotels in the Asia – Pacific region" by The Luxe List 2021 of the DestinAsian travel magazine, while Phu Quoc is on TIME's 2021 list of the World's 100 Greatest Places, and New World Phu Quoc Resort is recommended as a worth-to-try new lodging option for visitors.
About Sun Hospitality Group
Sun Hospitality Group (SHG) is a member of Sun Group, a leading developer in Vietnam tourism, entertainment, infrastructure investment and real estate. In the leisure travel field, SHG owns a portfolio of luxury hotels and resorts throughout the country, many of which have won prestigious global awards and reputable titles.
InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort set an unprecedented record in the history of the World Travel Awards, earning the title of ‘World’s Leading Luxury Hotel’ for four consecutive years between 2014 and 2017. The luxury hotel also received five awards at the 2021 World Travel Awards, including ‘Asia’s Leading Green Resort’, ‘Asia’s Leading Luxury Resort’ and ‘Asia’s Most Romantic Resort’.
JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay Resort at Kem Beach has also been awarded ‘Asia's Leading Luxury Resort & Spa’ in the 2021 World Travel Awards. Most recently, these two resorts have been ranked in the list of Top 25 resorts in Asia by Condé Nast Traveler's 2021 Readers' Choice Award.
In the North West of Vietnam, SHG’s Hotel de la Coupole – MGallery from Sa Pa was also recognised as ‘Asia’s Leading Design Hotel 2021’ and ‘Asia’s Leading Lifestyle Hotel 2021’.
About Raison d'Etre (RdE)
With its name emphasising “reason for being”, Raison d’Etre tailor makes wellness solutions globally – anywhere from wellness solutions in private homes, office or even airplane wellness, or large spas.
The RdE team has created and opened more than 170 spas and focuses on human-centred design, where they interview potential guests, staff, managers and competitors as a means to approach each and every spa to make each project different and unique.
The team includes wellness innovators such as shamans, marketing experts, a nutritionist, a hotelier, a chemist, a dancer, an interior designer, an honorary CIDESCO president, a world champion in aesthetics, a live sports commentator and even a car mechanic. The team’s approach to each and every project is to holistically integrate the wellness and food into the entire programming, and will help to uplift the standards of SHG and IHG’s onsen wellness resorts to bring them to new heights.