InterContinental Hotels Group has announced the signing of ten hotels in several cities such as Sichuan, Chongqing, Shaanxi, Yunnan, Gansu, Guizhou Province, accelerating its growth into a fast-growing market.

After developing its midscale offer in UAE, IHG is enjoying opportunities brought by policies like the Belt and Road Initiative in China. The Chinese cities’ economies continue to boom with the acceleration of urbanization, as well as the upgrading of transportation and supporting facilities.

Jolyon Bulley, CEO, IHG Greater China, commented: “We have established extensive and rewarding cooperation with local partners over the last three decades, bringing world-class hotel products and management expertise into different cities and resort destinations. Today’s signings are not only a great showcase for IHG’s diversified brand portfolio and close partnership with hotel owners, but also a strong demonstration of our confidence and commitment to both the west and the entire Chinese market.”

The 10 hotels sit under brands spanning luxury, upscale and midscale segments and include well-established brands, as well as recently introduced ones. In addition to management contracts, the signings also feature a Holiday Inn Express deal under IHG’s ‘Franchise Plus’ model tailored for the Chinese market.

InterContinental Chengdu Shawan: With midscale and upper-midscale hotels in the area, it is expected to fill the gap of luxury products. The property will be the third InterContinental hotel in the city.

HUALUXE Guiyang Financial City: First-ever upscale international hotel brand designed specifically for Chinese consumers.

Crowne Plaza Mianyang High-Tech Zone: Known as the “Silicon Valley in Western China”, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts is expected to be a popular choice for business travelers.

Hotel Indigo Puzhehei: The boutique hotel brand is the first international branded hotel in the Puzhehei Scenic Area.

Hotel Indigo Jiuzhai: West of the famous Jiuzhaigou Natural Reserve, the boutique hotel is developed to inspire discovery and exploration into the local culture.

EVEN Hotel Chongqing Central Park: The hotel has a convenient access to Chongqing International Expo Centre. The brand was introduced to the Chinese market in October 2017, echoing the increasing demand for healthy travel experience from domestic consumers.

EVEN Hotel Xi’an High-Tech Zone: Surrounded by Fortune 500 companies such as IBM, Intel, Microsoft, and Huawei, the hotel takes a prime location in the High-Tech Development Zone in Xi'an.

Holiday Inn & Suites Lanzhou Centre: The hotel enjoys a strategic location with Lanzhou West Railway Station and Lanzhou Metro Line 1 (to be completed in December 2018). The property will also be the first extended-stay hotel in the city.

Holiday Inn Express Guilin High-Tech Zone: With nearly 1,000 international companies in the city, the hotel will be situated in a fast-growing import and export business. Moreover, construction of a high-speed railway network is expected to drive a substantial increase in leisure tourists.

Holiday Inn Express Meishan Dongpo: This project is signed under the Franchise Plus model that IHG tailored for its Holiday Inn Express brand in China. While providing owners with more flexibility, IHG assigns General Manager to the hotel to better implement brand standards and improve hotel revenue, driving best return for owners.

IHG claims to be operating more than 330 hotels (+100,000 rooms) under a total of nine brands in Greater China. In addition, in the 2018 first quarter trading update, they said Greater China achieved a RevPAR increase by +11%.