Intercontinental Hotels Group (IHG) has announced plans to launch its wellness hotel brand, Even Hotels, in Australia and New Zealand, with ten to 15 hotels slated to open over the next few years.
The deal, signed at this week’s Hotel Investment Conference Asia Pacific (HICAP) in Hong Kong (header), sees the group working with long-term partner Pro-invest to take the brand outside of the United States for the first time.
To strengthen its position as a leading lifestyle hotel provider in the Asia, Middle East and Africa (AMEA) region, IHG will also expand its Hotel Indigo brand and aims to introduce its Kimpton brand to the market.
“We identified a key opportunity to accelerate our growth in the lifestyle segment with the introduction of these brands to the region,” says Jan Smiths, CEO AMEA for IHG.
“We know that there is a growing segment of travellers – whether they are on a business or leisure trip – who are looking for an experience beyond bed and board. This is why we are confident of the potential of our lifestyle brands, which can provide that unique experience but at the same time, also a sense of reliability and familiarity, as they are part of one of the world’s largest hotel companies.’
Even Hotels
Launched in 2012, Even Hotels is a world first in offering wellness-focused properties at an accessible price.
The brand responds to growing demands for wellness travel, with Australia being one of the largest global markets.
“The research we originally did in the US showed that the wellness economy sits at around US$3 trillion globally,” says Alan Watts, COO AMEA for IHG. “In Australia, US$5 billion is spent on wellness-related products and travel throughout the year.”
Speaking at a media roundtable, Smiths indicated that the properties will be city centre hotels, as opposed to retreats, to suit the needs of the corporate traveller. He expects the hotels to be around the 200-key mark.
Wellness facilities include nutritionally designed organic menus, eco-conscious amenities, athletic studios, and in-room training zones. Group activities will also be offered, such as group classes and daily runs.
Smiths says that the focus on wellness will extend to hotel employees, who will be fitness-oriented and able to advise guests on health and wellness: "Our aim is to bring wellness-minded individuals into our hotels, rather than teach our hotel staff about wellness".
Meetings amenities cannot be confirmed at this stage, but Smiths says the hotels will have facilities for small meetings groups.
The brand has no intention of launching beyond the Australasian market at present, according to Smiths. He says that Australia’s East Coast will be the focus for earlier developments.
The first two Even Hotels opened in the US in 2014, with a further seven in the pipeline for the US.
Lifestyle
In terms of expanding further lifestyle brands, IHG will also add to the Hotel Indigo brand portfolio.
The world’s first global boutique hotel brand, Hotel Indigo made its Asia debut last year with Hotel Indigo Bangkok Wireless Road.
Future openings include the brand’s first resort location hotel, Hotel Indigo Bali Seminyak, slated to open in the coming months.
A more speculative project is the introduction of Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, acquired by IHG last year, to the market at some point in the future.
Mike DeFrino,CEO of Kimpton Hotels & Resorts, sees most potential in locations such as Tokyo, Singapore, Sydney, Bangkok, Hong Kong and Macau.
Kimpton Hotels & Resorts operates 65 properties across North America.
IHG opperates 270 hotels across five brands in AMEA, with a further 170 in the development pipeline.
