InterContinental Hotels & Resorts has unveiled a brand evolution which repositions the IHG-owned chain as a lifestyle brand with each hotel offering a "an experience-driven bespoke concept" catering to upmarket travellers, including business travellers.
Tom Rowntree, IHG’s VP of global luxury and lifestyle brands, told BTN that InterContinental, which has more than 470 properties globally, was "developing a new service style and a programme that meets the needs of the modern luxury consumer".
In addition to the lifestyle focus, the brand will incorporate celebrating guest "moments" and introduce the concept of "insider expertise" through a new concierge service.
This would offer guests a more interactive experience including lobby libraries, displays and a mobile chat-based concierge network that layers over traditional concierge services by tapping into local knowledge across the inhouse hotel staff.
An example of this would be a hotel restaurant chef offering their own "insider" take on the local restaurant scene, explained Rowntree.
Rowntree acknowledged the InterContinental brand squarely targets an upscale business traveller, with needs such as client entertainment and complex logistical support - sometimes in unfamiliar destinations.
As such, he said, the concierge service helps to identify prime local restaurants and other enriching experiences. It can also assist with more traditional needs like booking airport transfers or providing key destination information such as transit time between meetings.
InterContinental’s brand transformation hinges on the concept that modern luxury consumers and upscale corporate travellers have evolved, with 65 per cent of luxury customers set to be Millennials (born between the early 1980s and mid-1990s) and Generation Z (born between the mid-1990s and 2010) by 2025.
IHG isn't the first to identify these trends and refresh its brands and brand structure accordingly. Accor split off its luxury and lifestyle portfolio into a division last year, changing from what it called a "generalist" model to a "multi-specialist". The French hospitality giant created a new leadership team in January, focused on local culture and hospitality.
Hyatt Hotels has also focused on its luxury and lifestyle portfolio, with the acquisition of Dream Hotel Group and other moves.