IHG Is Launching A New Brand And Opening 200 New Hotels

It’s going to be a big decade ahead for IHG. The hotel brand has plans to open more than 200 new hotels over the course of the next 10 years. The properties will belong to a new upscale brand called voco that IHG plans to launch. At least two definite locations are already confirmed for voco properties. Plans for voco hotels in Australia and the United Kingdom are in the works.

IHG is already one of the biggest hotel brands in the world. It is the parent company of major hotel chains like Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express and Crowne Plaza. The addition of the voco brand to IHG’s portfolio could help to propel the company to a level that is nearly unparalleled in the industry.

What can guests expect when they stay at voco properties around the world? IHG plans to offer an upscale experience that relies on a mix of individual and locally branded hotels and the powerful systems of the IHG brand. Guests who stay at voco locations will be able to tap into the perks and benefits offered by the expansive IHG® Rewards Club.

The voco brand is designed to offer a relaxed and reliable experience for travelers. It will deliver a low-key taste of the good life. Guests at voco hotels can look forward to simple and fast check-in services, locally inspired foods, cozy bedding, quality bathroom amenities, smart televisions, excellent room connectivity and vibrant bars and social spaces.

The voco brand will initially be rolled out in IHG’s European, Middle Eastern, African and Asian markets. Plans are in place to then bring the voco experience to guests in China and throughout the Americas. Properties are planned for both urban and leisure locations around the world. IHG announced in July that an agreement had been reached with Covivio to rebrand a total of 13 properties in the United Kingdom under the vovo label.

A handful of those converted Covivio properties will be reopened as voco properties by the end of 2018. IHG has also confirmed that it will begin focusing on establishing a presence in Australia next. The Watermark Hotel & Spa Gold Coast in Surfers Paradise is set to be the first voco property to open outside of Europe. This property is located steps away from one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. It will reopen as a voco hotel at some point by the end of 2018.