Big hotel groups have a middle class problem. It's gotten harder to keep the promise of standardized, family-friendly quality hotels at reasonable rates.
Large travel businesses like Holiday Inn owner IHG have the power to drive real change by demanding greener supply chains and making sustainability the industry standard.
The franchise model allows for rapid expansion and scalability, which is particularly helpful for a market like China, where the demand for accommodations is high.
IHG is introducing a new Holiday Inn Resort in Maharashtra, India, for 2027 and announced significant growth of their Holiday Inn Express brand in Greater China.
Air India's decision to introduce more than 400 additional weekly flights this winter is intended to meet the growing demand for air travel. The move would hopefully also help keep airfares in check.
At a time when India's aviation and hospitality sectors are riding high on domestic travel, IHG is positioned well to capitalize on market opportunities with its Essentials collection of brands.
From adding luxury, lifestyle, and resort brands to boosting the company's ground game in China and the U.S., Keith Barr will leave a wide-ranging legacy from his half-dozen years as CEO of IHG when he departs in June.