InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has announced the introduction of its wellness and lifestyle brand, EVEN Hotels, to Greater China, with the signing of a number of management contracts. The region’s first four EVEN Hotels properties will be located in Shanghai, Sanya, Chongqing, and Jinan.
To celebrate the brand’s entry into Greater China, IHG’s Chief Executive Officer, Keith Barr, hosted a signing ceremony during the 2017 Hotel Investment Conference Asia Pacific (HICAP), which is taking place at the InterContinental Hong Kong this week.
Keith Barr, Chief Executive Officer, commented, “Around the world, we know that there is growing consumer demand for wellness-focused travel, including in Greater China, where there is a big opportunity for us to meet this need with EVEN Hotels. Since debuting in the US, the brand has resonated strongly with guests and owners, in what is a such a unique segment. We are delighted to continue our international expansion of EVEN Hotels in some key locations, and I look forward to working closely with our owners, to build on our strong track record of growing brands in Greater China.”
Since its launch in the U.S. in 2012, EVEN Hotels has opened in key locations, including three hotels in New York City. Outside of the U.S., the introduction of EVEN Hotels to Greater China follows the signing of EVEN Hotel Auckland, New Zealand, in July. The hotel is the first of Pro-Invest Group’s portfolio of EVEN Hotels, announced with IHG in 2016, and will mark the brand’s entry into Australia and New Zealand.
IHG will bring EVEN Hotels to the Shanghai Tourism Zone, a major tourism project in Shanghai. Set to be completed by 2020, the hotel is anticipated to attract significant leisure demand. The opening of EVEN Hotel Sanya Yalong Bay in 2019 will further boost IHG’s presence in Sanya, the ‘Hawaii’ of China. Scheduled to open in 2020, the EVEN Hotel Jinan South is set to offer guests a distinctive and relaxing space, with 290 hotel rooms available. The rooms will be furnished with natural eucalyptus fibre, high thread count linens, naturally derived bath products and colour LED mood lighting. Opening in 2022, the EVEN Hotel Chongqing Central Park will be part of a sports-themed complex and development zone.
IHG currently operates over 300 hotels across seven brands in Greater China.
