InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has announced plans to develop a new upscale hotel brand designed specifically for the Chinese market. The company, which now has a portfolio of 150 hotels in the country and a further 150 under development, said that the new China-centric hotel brand would operate alongside IHG’s existing brands in the country, such as InterContinental, Crowne Plaza and Hotel Indigo.
In Shanghai this week for IHG’s Board and Executive Committee meetings, Chairman of the Board David Webster (pictured) expressed IHG’s vision for the new brand, saying it would be; “One for Chinese travellers 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 UNWTO showed that China recorded more than 1.9 billion domestic tourist trips in 2010. The country is also expected to become the world’s largest inbound travel market by 2015, with an estimated 183 million overnight stays.
“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,” said Webster. “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,” he added.
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