ATLANTA—InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) is set to invest $200 million in Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts in the Americas region.
The Crowne Plaza Accelerate plan, which will run for a three-year period, will help ensure that the brand remains at the forefront of the new way of doing business with design-led, culturally-relevant, technology-enabled solutions, according to the company.
IHG’s investment will focus on increased sales and marketing efforts and continuous improvement of the guest experience. In addition, IHG will continue to selectively invest to secure high quality Crowne Plaza hotels in key markets throughout the region that showcase the future of business travel, according to the company.
“Our growth strategy for IHG in the Americas is building great momentum and the Crowne Plaza brand plays an important role in continuing this success. The brand is a global powerhouse and this plan will accelerate its growth and performance in the Americas, extending its leadership and guest satisfaction performance in the upscale hotel segment for today’s business travelers,” said Elie Maalouf, CEO, The Americas, IHG.
According to the brand, the Crowne Plaza Accelerate plan includes:
• A significant investment behind sales and marketing, including the launch of a new marketing campaign in early 2017 about how the Crowne Plaza brand can meet travelers’ holistic needs.
• High impact, distinctive and meaningful innovations that deliver sophisticated design and modern amenities. This includes the guestroom of the future—the WorkLife Room—that creates more space to work, socialize and rest. Additionally, a new approach to the “meetings between the meetings” includes technology-enabled public spaces designed for solo work and small group meetings with on-demand services such as an iPad installed in the space to order coffee or snacks.
• A continued commitment to brand excellence by providing additional teams and tools to hotels. The Crowne Plaza brand has grown overall guest satisfaction twice as fast as the upscale segment and will maintain this focus by providing additional resources to ensure every Crowne Plaza hotel delivers at the highest levels over the next 18 months, according to the company.
Eric Lent, VP, Holiday Inn and Crowne Plaza, The Americas added: “The Crowne Plaza brand is redefining what it means to deliver an unrivaled guest experience for the modern business traveler. Whether it is working, moving between the intersection of work and relaxation or powering down for day, the brand’s plan is meeting the evolving expectations of the modern business traveler in a new way.”