Skift: Dr. Mody comments on IHG’s new mid-scale hotel brand
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) recently announced it’s launching a new hotel brand, a mid-scale brand that has yet to be named but will be designed for “principled everyday travelers” who want “exceptional quality at a great price” and are “practical, self-reliant, and value a hard-earned dollar.”
Dr. Makarand Mody, assistant professor of hospitality marketing at the School of Hospitality Administration, spoke with Skift about the new brand, its target audience, and potential challenges as it enters the lodging market this fall.
“From a domestic standpoint, I feel that the brand may find some resonance with the Millennial traveler provided it can offer something exciting,” Mody said. “One of my concerns on reading the description of the concept is that nothing really stands out as something that would make a Millennial go, ‘This is something I really want’ or ‘This is something cool,’ or ‘This is something exciting.’ The value-hunting Millennial derives value not just from price — in contrast with the international overtourism segment — but also from the experiential element, which the new brand seems a little light on as currently described.” — Skift.