INTERCONTINENTAL HOTELS GROUP PLC 
By IHG's luxury brand designed for Chinese consumers signs 22 deals in first 21 months riding on strong market and brand confidence
Shanghai -InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) today announced the signing of 22 management contracts for HUALUXETM Hotels and Resorts in just 21 months since the brand was launched in March 2012. To date, IHG has added nearly 7,000 rooms to the HUALUXE pipeline across Greater China, including major destinations such as Beijing and Shanghai, as well as key emerging markets of Chengdu, Kunming and the most recently signed deal in Wuhan, which is a remarkable achievement in the brand's development and a significant boost to IHG's presence in the China market.
HUALUXETMHotels and Resorts is built on three decades of IHG's accumulated market insights, experience and leadership in the China market. Aspects of Chinese culture and heritage are integrated into every detail of the brand's service and design, with a particular focus on traditional Chinese elements of etiquette, rejuvenation in nature, status recognition and spaces enabling social interactions. Catering to Chinese consumers, HUALUXETMHotels and Resorts understands the specific demands of Chinese travellers, and provides a uniquely Chinese hospitality experience with the consistency, scale and expertise of an International hotel management company.
Kenneth Macpherson, Chief Executive, IHG Greater China, said: "With nearly thirty years of experience in China, IHG has developed a profound understanding and keen insights into China's market and consumers, which led us to develop the HUALUXETMHotels and Resorts brand. The signing of 22 projects across some 20 cities within just 21 months since the brand was launched is a remarkable achievement that not only speaks to the strength of our brands but also to the trust and confidence our owners have in IHG's ability to deliver the best returns."
The most recent signing is for the 350-room HUALUXE Wuhan Wuchang, which is expected to open in late 2016. Located in Wuhan, the capital city of Hubei province and a major transportation, industrial and financial hub in central China, the HUALUXE Wuhan Wuchang is a significant addition to the brand's development, as well as to IHG's presence in China's emerging markets. Originally a state-run guesthouse in the 1950's, the HUALUXE Wuhan Wuchang is located in the downtown Wuchang district, Wuhan's political, cultural and educational center, as well as near the scenic East Lake and the High-Tech Development Zone, "Optics Valley". With a variety of meeting facilities, large ballroom, signature Chinese restaurant and tea houses, the hotel is ideally positioned to meet the high volume of corporate and leisure demand in one of China's largest, booming markets.
IHG has ambitious goals for developing HUALUXETM Hotels and Resorts, both in Greater China and internationally. With the first hotel under the brand set to open in late 2014 in Greater China, IHG aims to bring HUALUXETM Hotels & Resorts to 100 cities in Greater China in the next 15 to 20 years. As outbound Chinese travel continues to grow and gain momentum, IHG also plans to introduce HUALUXETM Hotels and Resorts in key international destinations to meet their specific needs when traveling abroad.
HUALUXETM Hotels & Resorts in the development pipeline:
HUALUXE Ordos Dongsheng 350 rooms
HUALUXE Foshan Nanhai 350 rooms
HUALUXE Zhangjiajie Resort 380 rooms
HUALUXE Chengdu High-Tech West 350 rooms
HUALUXE Yangjiang City Centre 282 rooms
HUALUXE Shanghai Pudong Kangqiao 400 rooms
HUALUXE Fuzhou Downtown 330 rooms
HUALUXE Beijing Xinan 382 rooms
HUALUXE Chengdu South 350 rooms
HUALUXE Quanzhou East 350 rooms
HUALUXE Haikou Seaview 300 rooms
HUALUXE Xi'an Daming Palace 350 rooms
HUALUXE Jiaxing Xiuzhou 280 rooms
HUALUXE Kunming City Center 210 rooms
HUALUXE Tianjin Nankai 280 rooms
HUALUXE Xiamen Haicang 350 rooms
HUALUXE Zhangjiakou 337 rooms
HUALUXE Changchun New City 350 rooms
HUALUXE Nanchang High-tech Zone 283 rooms
HUALUXE Haining 340 rooms
HUALUXE Wuhu 200 rooms
HUALUXE Wuhan Wuchang 350 rooms
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Media contacts:
Sharona Tao
IHG
Tel: +86 21 2893 3309
Fax: +86 21 2893 3399
sharona.tao@ihg.com
Notes to Editors:
About HUALUXETMHotels & Resorts
HUALUXE™ Hotels & Resorts takes the best aspects of renowned Chinese hospitality and applies IHG's international scale, powerful systems and unparalleled insights into the Chinese market to consistently deliver what consumers expect in China today.
IHG launched the HUALUXE™ Hotels & Resorts brand in March 2012, the first-ever luxury international brand designed specifically for Chinese guests. Our hotels focus on the unique Chinese aspects of etiquette, rejuvenation in nature, status recognition, and spaces enabling social interactions.
HUALUXE™ Hotels & Resorts is being developed across a range of tier 1/2/3 cities and resort destinations in Greater China. We expect to open hotels in major cities elsewhere in the world so Chinese travellers can enjoy the HUALUXE™ Hotels & Resorts experience abroad.
About IHG
IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is a global organisation with a broad portfolio of nine hotel brands, including InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Indigo®, Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn® Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Express®, Staybridge Suites®, Candlewood Suites®, EVEN™ Hotels and HUALUXE™ Hotels & Resorts.
IHG manages IHG® Rewards Club, the world's first and largest hotel loyalty programme with over 76 million members worldwide. The programme was relaunched in July 2013, offering enhanced benefits for members including free internet for Elites across all hotels, globally.
IHG franchises, leases, manages or owns over 4,600 hotels and 679,000 guest rooms in nearly 100 countries and territories. With more than 1,000 hotels in its development pipeline, IHG expects to recruit around 90,000 people into additional roles across its estate over the next few years.
InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the Group's holding company and is incorporated in Great Britain and registered in England and Wales.
Visit www.ihg.com for hotel information and reservations and www.ihgrewardsclub.com for more on IHG Rewards Club. For our latest news, visit: www.ihg.com/media, www.twitter.com/ihg, www.facebook.com/ihg or www.youtube.com/ihgplc.
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