As part of this process all Express by Holiday Inn hotels across Europe, Middle East, Africa (EMEA) and Asia Pacific will become Holiday Inn Express properties in line with those in the Americas. By making the global branding of Holiday Inn consistent, IHG can ensure customers and owners in each of our markets benefit from a level of investment and experience in innovation and design, while ensuring that the important distinctions between the brand identities and their target audience are maintained.

Announcing this to an audience of over 4,500 hotel owners, managers and investors at IHG’s annual Americas conference in Dallas, Andrew Cosslett, IHG’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “This is an important moment in Holiday Inn’s history. The brand is the largest and one of the most successful in the hotel industry and its relaunch will ensure that this position is maintained. We have spent a considerable amount of time getting the facts and the insights to enable us to make these changes in partnership with our owners. The Holiday Inn sign is seen by hundreds of millions of people every day around the world. The changes we are making will ensure the Holiday Inn brand goes forward into the future with a strong and confident new image. We want our guests to get as much enjoyment from Holiday Inn hotels over the next 50 years as they have over the last 50.”

By better delivering on guest needs and expectations, IHG expects the relaunch programme to allow Holiday Inn hotels to generate significantly higher revenue per available room (RevPAR), and secure an enhanced return on investment for their owners. Owners and franchisees will invest up to $1 billion over a three year period in total to carry out the brand relaunch to meet the required service and quality levels.

Elements of the relaunch programme include:
• Redesigned Brand Signage: Holiday Inn is making dramatic changes to its signage – evolving the iconic script logo, energising the signature colour green and eliminating the current shield shape. The brand will replace more than 11,000 signs around the world to reflect this refreshed and contemporary look. The redesigned brand signage also will be incorporated into design elements in each of the more than 3,100 hotel lobbies and more than 400,000 guest rooms.

• Refreshed Guest Room: A sense of comfort and ease will be created by a bedroom that looks fresh, clean and inviting, featuring bed throws with pillow wraps and a pillow menu. Bathrooms will feature enhanced amenities such as a signature shower curtain with curved rod and an elegant toiletry caddy to deliver an invigorating and contemporary bath experience.

• Warm Welcome: A new signature arrival, – including new feature lighting, landscaping and reception design – will create an energised sense of welcome that is universally recognisable and unique to the brand. Guests can expect a more interactive and efficient check-in process, while customised music and scent selections will also engage them in a complete sensory experience.

• New Service Promise: Since a differentiated hotel experience cannot be delivered through imagery and product alone, Holiday Inn is committed to providing best-in-class service. As part of the relaunch, the brand will initiate a new service culture – “Stay Real”. The service culture will enhance staff behaviour and skills to best serve guests, treating them as real people and consistently delivering the genuine service for which Holiday Inn is known.