7. InterContinental Hotels Group, CEO, Pascal Gauvin
In 2007, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) launched in the Middle East its limited service chain, Holiday Inn Express. Dubai being identified as a key destination, the move was to add to its portfolio of upscale properties and mid-market hotels and resorts. Designed and purpose-built for the price-conscious business and leisure travellers, Holiday Inn Express properties cater for both short and long-term guests. Currently there are four properties in Dubai’s business locations.
Gauvin says the group is expecting more than 40% growth across the Middle East in the next three to five years, with 25 new hotels in the pipeline, placing a focus on midmarket hotels, addressing the lack of affordable options for low-budget and family travellers in many GCC States. As IHG’s fastest growing hotel brand, Holiday Inn Express seeks to be the first choice for the increasing number of travellers who need an engaging place to ‘rest, recharge and get a little work done’.
Gauvin has re-asserted the group’s commitment to its mid-scale offering across the region, bearing in mind developments such as Dubai Expo 2020 and Saudi Arabia’s national vision 2030.Holiday Inn Express hotels has an aim to ‘keep it simple and smart’ as it progresses in the region.
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