Parent company of Intercontinental celebrates 50 years in Greater China

On 16/01/2025, IHG Hotels & Resorts marked 50 years of operations in Greater China, five decades after opening its first hotel in Hong Kong in 1975. By the anniversary, IHG had grown to 800 open hotels across the region, reflecting the expansion of its portfolio from a single property into a network spanning luxury and lifestyle, premium, essentials and suites brands. IHG's Greater China story began with the Holiday Inn Golden Mile Hong Kong in 1975. Its regional development subsequently included the launch of Crowne Plaza in Shanghai in 1991, the introduction of InterContinental Hotels & Resorts in 2000 and the opening of the first Holiday Inn Express in Greater China in 2004. In 2008, IHG opened its 100th hotel in the region, while in 2011 Greater China became an independent IHG business unit. The following year, IHG debuted HUALUXE Hotels & Resorts, a brand developed around Chinese hospitality. Further expansion followed during the next decade. IHG introduced its locally adapted "Franchise Plus" model in 2016 and participated in the first China International Import Expo in 2018. By 2021, the combined number of open and pipeline IHG hotels in Greater China had surpassed 1,000. At the time of the 50th anniversary announcement in January 2025, IHG reported 13 brands and more than 1,300 open and pipeline hotels across Greater China. To accompany the anniversary and the achievement of 800 open hotels, IHG introduced the "IHG Greater China 800 Club", highlighting recently opened properties across different market segments. The selected hotels included InterContinental Taichung, Shanghai Snow World Hotel, Vignette Collection, Hotel Indigo Ningbo Riverside, HUALUXE Chongqing Science Hall, Crowne Plaza Jingmen, voco Zhengzhou Garden Expo, Holiday Inn Chongqing Science Hall and Holiday Inn Express Shenzhen Guangming. IHG also marked its 50th year through consumer-facing activities including high-speed train branding and light displays on skyscraper facades in major cities. Daniel Aylmer, CEO of IHG Greater China, said the 800-hotel total reflected the company's partnerships and understanding of the regional market. During 2025, IHG continued to use the anniversary in events and partnerships, including its Greater China Expo held across Shenzhen, Beijing and Shanghai. Historical Significance The 50th anniversary documented IHG's progression from its first Hong Kong hotel in 1975 to an 800-property regional network in 2025. The timeline also records how IHG expanded its operating models and brand portfolio alongside the development of Greater China's hotel and travel markets.