InterContinental Hotels & Resorts this week introduced InterContinental ICons: iconic sights, sounds, tastes, smells and sensations in seven cities around the world. The list of experiences was determined through an online public vote and then ranked by a panel of influencers and travel experts as the best additions to conventional tourist destinations. The InterContinental ICons will also inspire curated experiences that can be booked at some of the brand’s properties.
The campaign was developed based on insight from an independent study by the brand. The research revealed that most locals (59 percent) feel visitors are missing out on the true spirit of a place, while 75 percent of luxury travelers want to experience cities like a well-informed local.
“True to the InterContinental brand’s heritage of pioneering luxury travel, we’ve spent the last few months working with leading experts and canvassing public opinion to uncover truly fascinating and meaningful details that showcase the best of global cities around the world,” said Jane Mackie, senior vice president, global marketing, IHG Luxury Portfolio. “We are excited to reveal the first-ever list of InterContinental ICons as well as curated itineraries to inspire travelers to go deeper.”
New York InterContinental ICons
- Fresh bagels at a West Village bagel shop
- Sipping craft cocktails in a bar in an up-and-coming neighborhood in Brooklyn
- The sharp blue sky against the striking architecture of the city skyline seen from the Hudson River ferries
- Soaking up the sunshine on a lunchtime picnic in Central Park
- The astonishing luminosity as you stand on the concourse of the Oculus
Charlie Hamilton James, National Geographic photographer and member of the judging panel, said, “I loved working on the InterContinental ICons campaign—it opened my eyes to the many undiscovered facets that I’d been missing in each of these well-visited cities. Each one holds an infinite number of secrets and experiencing the ICons is just the way to start uncovering them.”
The top InterContinental ICons in each city include the smell of oven-fresh bread from the boulangeries of Oberkampf in Paris; the contrast of old and new architecture on the ever-changing London skyline; fresh bagels at a West Village bagel shop in New York; tasting the many unique flavors of Karak Chai along Jumeirah Beach Road in Dubai; the cool breeze on your face as you ride the Manly to Circular Quay ferry in Sydney; the smoky flavor of tacos al pastor in Mexico City; and the sound of old songs played on a vinyl record player in Shanghai.
