IHG’s Voco Brand Makes US Debut
First locations for the upscale brand are planned for New York City, Florida, and Missouri
InterContinental Hotels Group has announced plans to roll out its upscale Voco brand in three US locations: New York City; St. Augustine, FL; and Columbia, MO.
The first conversion is set to be the existing Franklin Hotel on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, followed by Voco Historic St Augustine in the nation’s oldest city, and Voco The Tiger Hotel in downtown Columbia, near the University of Missouri campus.
Initially launched in 2018 with the first hotel in Australia, the brand has a focus on conversion opportunities, combining the feel of an independent hotel with the quality and reassurance of a global brand.
Currently the brand has 12 properties in IHG’s Europe, Middle East, Asia, and Africa (EMEAA) region. The development pipeline of 28 new properties will take Voco into 19 countries over the next five years, including Greater China, with a hotel set to open in Hangzhou “very soon.” This will be followed by a Voco Wuhan Xinhua next year.
“Voco Hotels is one of our highest-potential, most flexible brands for owners, with diverse projects and markets,” said Julienne Smith, IHG’s SVP of development, Americas. “As the voco brand makes its debut in the Americas, it is generating terrific momentum with our initial three signings illustrating how strongly it resonates with owners seeking to enhance the originality of an existing property or develop a new hotel, while also tapping into IHG’s powerful global network and enterprise offerings.”
