InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has launched its newest upscale hotel brand, voco, in the US and Greater China.
Since launching in 2018, voco has opened hotels in the UK, Australia, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.
The existing development pipeline of voco includes 28 properties, which will take the brand into 19 countries over the next five years.
Over the next ten years, voco is planning to open over 200 hotels in various urban and leisure locations.
Voco, which focuses primarily on conversion opportunities, is inspired by the meaning to invite or to come together in Latin.
The brand works with individual and locally-branded hotels to allow owners drive better returns by using IHG’s systems.
IHG said voco will integrate the informality and charm of an individual hotel, with the quality and reassurance of a worldwide brand.
IHG CEO Keith Barr said: “voco is leading a trend towards conversions, which we’re seeing across the full breadth of our portfolio and accounted for a quarter of IHG’s signings overall in the first half of 2020.
“The brand’s sleep experience, thoughtful interior design, informal service and focus on sustainability have really resonated with guests and we’re looking forward to bringing the voco experience to life in our two largest markets.”
IHG expects to open one of the first voco-branded hotels in the Americas in the Franklin Hotel, situated in the Upper East Side neighbourhood of New York City.
voco will be IHG’s eleventh brand in Greater China. The company expects to open the first voco-branded hotel in Hangzhou.
