Hualuxe has been announced as InterContinental Hotels Group’s (IHG) Chinese brand, one that will target domestic travellers in the upscale segment.
According to IHG, the name translates to majestic (Hua) luxury (luxe) and it will help the organisation further grow its strong footprint in China.
“Building on our proven ability to build, develop and nurture brands, we are very proud to be launching Hualuxe Hotels and Resorts – a genuine first for the industry and a unique brand developed by our Chinese team that we know will resonate with the very important, fast-growing, Chinese consumer base,” said IHG’s CEO, Richard Solomons.
“Hualuxe takes the best aspects of renowned Chinese hospitality and applies IHG’s international scale, powerful systems and unparalleled insights into the Chinese market to deliver a traditional high-end consistent experience.”
He said the Hualuxe brand was developed in response to three core growth opportunities that IHG is tapping into – consumer demand for an upscale international hotel brand that demonstrates pride in Chinese customs and reflects local tradition; the domestic China opportunity, whereby the number of domestic travellers is expected to reach 3.3 billion in 2015 and the China hotel market is projected to grow by 5-8% annually by 2030; and the international opportunity, where outbound trips from China are projected to grow from 10 million to more than 100 million in the next 10 to 15 years .
IHG is already the largest international hotel operator in China, with more than 160 hotels across 60 cities and sees the opportunity for this brand to be in over 100 cities in China in the next 15-20 years.
“IHG was the first international hotel group to enter China nearly 30 years ago, which gives us a deep understanding of the market and its consumers,” said IHG’s CEO of Greater China, Keith Barr.
“We have had great success over the years with the five brands we already have in this market, and we will now leverage our experience, and the strong relationships and reputation we have with customers and owners to establish and grow Hualuxe.”
According to IHG, the company has already signed over 20 letters of intent which are now being converted into contracts and we expect the first hotel to be open in late 2013 or early 2014.