InterContinental Hotels Won’t Rush to Follow Rivals Into Alternative Accommodations
Skift Take
InterContinental's new CEO Keith Barr seems happy — for now — to carry on with the work done by his predecessor. While rivals have explored other areas, IHG keeps doing the same thing, although it is developing a new midscale brand. Only time will tell which strategy is right.
The have been a flurry of deals in recent months involving hotel companies investing in the alternative accommodation market.
To varying degrees, Hyatt, AccorHotels and Wyndham Worldwide have all increased their exposure in the sector.
Not everyone is convinced by the argument, though. InterContinental Hotels Group, one of the most traditional of the big chains, says it won't be getting involved in the buying spree any time soon. Instead it plans on continuing to focus on expanding its core hotel portfolio.
InterContinental executives love to use the jargonistic phrase "white space" to describe holes in their business and aside from the deal to buy Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants, the company has been content to try to fill these in-house.
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