Holiday Inn 2012 Annual Report Download - page 15

OVERVIEW BUSINESS REVIEW GOVERNANCE
PARENT COMPANY FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OTHER INFORMATION
GROUP FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS
Our strategy 13
HUALUXE Hotels & Resorts was officially launched in March 2012
and is the first international upscale hotel brand designed specifically
for Chinese guests, to take advantage of both the supply and demand
side opportunities we see in China. The brand is tailored to address
the specific needs of domestic Chinese guests focussing on the
unique aspects of Chinese etiquette, the importance of rejuvenation,
status recognition and local customs and heritage. It will enable us
to expand in China’s key gateway cities but will also drive growth in
its secondary cities where a specifically Chinese offer is appealing.
The brand could open in key global gateway cities in the future as
outbound travellers from China are forecasted to reach 100 million in
the next 10-15 years. During 2012, we signed 15 hotels for the brand.
Our established brands
InterContinental Hotels & Resorts is IHG’s luxury brand located in
key cities and resort destinations across more than 60 countries
worldwide. The brand’s ethos is to empower guests to share their
knowledge to enjoy great experiences that enrich their lives. Hotels
under this brand tend to be managed by IHG. In 2012, we opened six
more properties around the world, including the InterContinental
London-Westminster in the UK, the InterContinental Sanctuary Cove
Resort, IHG’s first InterContinental Resort in Australia, and two new
resorts in Asia – InterContinental Samui Baan Taling Ngam Resort
in Thailand and InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort in
Vietnam. We also signed 10 hotels in 2012.
Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts is IHG’s upscale brand and is
currently the fourth largest full-service hotel brand in the upper
segments with nearly 400 hotels and resorts in 66 countries. The
brand continues to appeal to business travellers, providing facilities
and services that cater to these types of travellers. We continue to
progress the three-phase, multi-year Crowne Plaza repositioning
programme. As part of IHG’s commitment to strengthen the brand,
quality audits have been carried out at almost all Crowne Plaza
hotels in The Americas and Europe and we have been actively
managing the estate in order to drive brand consistency. Crowne
Plaza also saw significant growth in 2012, particularly in China with
eight new hotel openings making it the largest international upscale
brand in China.
Hotel Indigo is our boutique brand, and the world’s first global boutique
hotel brand focussed on guests who appreciate art and design and who
want to experience something different. Hotel Indigo provides guests
with the refreshing design and service experience synonymous with a
boutique hotel, aligned with the local neighbourhood story. During 2012,
we opened 13 Hotel Indigo properties, six in The Americas, two in
Greater China and five in Europe, expanding the brand’s footprint.
In 2012, the brand also reached its 50th hotel milestone with the
openings of Hotel Indigo London Kensington-Earl’s Court in the UK
and Hotel Indigo New Orleans Garden District in the US.
The Holiday Inn brand family, which comprises Holiday Inn, Holiday
Inn Club Vacations, Holiday Inn Resort and Holiday Inn Express, is
the world’s largest midscale hotel brand by number of rooms at
31 December 2012. It is the largest brand in IHG’s portfolio
predominantly operating under franchise agreements in The
Americas and Europe and management agreements elsewhere.
Holiday Inn is for the contemporary traveller looking for innovative
comfort in a relaxing hotel environment. Holiday Inn aims to provide
guests familiarity, convenience and reliability while supporting and
meeting all guest needs. As official hotel provider to the London 2012
Olympic and Paralympic Games, we opened the Holiday Inn
London-Stratford City. In 2012, the brand celebrated its 60th
anniversary and we opened our largest Holiday Inn to date – the
stunning Holiday Inn Macao Cotai Central in China with 1,224 rooms.
Holiday Inn Club Vacations, our timeshare business in North
America, provides guests with all the benefits of a vacation home
with none of the hassle. It expanded its portfolio in 2012 with the
opening of three new resorts, including a new 658-room resort in
Las Vegas, Nevada.
Holiday Inn Resort is our Holiday Inn resort proposition with 37
properties currently in the portfolio, for guests who work hard but
also want to lead a balanced life. Seven new resorts opened in 2012,
including the Holiday Inn Resort Changbaishan in China.
Holiday Inn Express is a brand for the traveller looking for efficiency.
The brand offers a straightforward, uncomplicated guest experience
providing the things a guest needs, and is delivered in a way that is
stimulating and engaging. As one of the world’s fastest growing hotel
brands, it is geared to the smart business or private traveller who
appreciates value without compromising on comfort and style. IHG
continued to grow the brand in all regions with 114 new openings in
2012, including hotels in Thailand and India.
Staybridge Suites is IHG’s upscale extended stay brand for guests
on longer trips, offering studios and suites complete with full
kitchens and separate sleeping and work areas in a sociable,
family-like atmosphere. During 2012, Staybridge Suites opened 11
hotels, including the prominent Staybridge Suites London-Stratford
City as part of IHG’s London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games
legacy, taking the total number of Staybridge Suites hotels to 189.
In 2012, 17 Staybridge Suites hotels under IHG’s management
were renovated as part of a renovation programme with the owner,
Hospitality Properties Trust. Hotels under this brand tend to be
under franchised and management contracts.
Candlewood Suites is IHG’s midscale extended stay brand in North
America and is primarily franchised by IHG. Candlewood Suites aims
to provide guests with a home-like stay at great value. A trust system
has always prevailed for this brand – the ‘Candlewood Cupboard’
which is a convenient place for our guests to stock up on essentials
and treats on an honour system and our newly launched ‘Lending
Locker’, which enables guests to borrow kitchen apparatuses, such
as coffee grinders. During 2012, 59 Candlewood Suites hotels under
management by IHG were renovated with the owner, Hospitality
Properties Trust, as part of our commitment to deliver a great brand
for guests. We opened 12 hotels during 2012, taking the total number
of Candlewood Suites hotels to 299.
External recognition
We have received a number of awards for our brands and hotels
during 2012, including the following:
• InterContinental Hotels & Resorts was named 2012 World
Travel Awards’ World’s Leading Hotel Brand for the fourth
year running and World’s Leading Business Hotel Brand for
the second year running;
• InterContinental Hotels & Resorts won Best Business Hotel
Brand in the World at the 2012 Business Traveller Awards
Asia-Pacific Awards for the third year running;
• Holiday Inn was ranked ‘Highest in Guest Satisfaction Among
Mid-Scale Full Service Hotel Chains, Two Years in a Row’ by
J.D. Power and Associates¤ (see page 141);
• Hotel Indigo Shanghai on the Bund was named Best Boutique
Hotel in Asia-Pacific at the 2012 Business Traveller Asia-Pacific
Awards; and
• Hotel Indigo San Diego Gaslamp Quarter featured as one of the
Top 25 Hotels in Southern California in the Condé Nast 2012
Readers’ Choice Awards.