IHG boosts European growth, expanding its portfolio over 27pc in three years

IHG Hotels & Resorts (IHG), one of the world’s leading hotel companies, is rapidly expanding its footprint in Europe, adding over 32,800 rooms in the past three years to its portfolio – growth of 27%.

A supportive macro backdrop continues to fuel IHG’s growth as it expands its scale and presence in Europe’s key destinations.

In 2025, European hotel investment reached €27 billion across more than 1,050 hotels – the strongest year since 2019 (Cushman & Wakefield). 

This momentum is underpinned by Europe’s position as the world’s most visited region, welcoming around 793 million international arrivals in 2025 (UN Tourism). 

Last year, IHG opened a record 102 hotels and signed an impressive 117 properties in Europe, and acquired Ruby, the European-based premium urban lifestyle brand. 

The company’s European portfolio now comprises more than 1,230 open and pipeline hotels across more than 40 countries. 

This sustained growth reflects decades of strong owner relationships and continued brand evolution, driven by a single ambition: to consistently deliver brilliant experiences in every destination. 

Germany is central to this growth story – both as a strong domestic market and one of Europe’s most important outbound markets. 

One of IHG’s fastest‑growing countries in the region it represents more than 20% of open rooms (32,700) and nearly 20% of its pipeline (8,340 rooms).

 Momentum in Germany amplifies brand awareness and drives demand and performance across IHG’s wider European and global portfolio. 

Karin Sheppard, SVP & Managing Director, Europe, IHG Hotels & Resorts, said: “Across Europe, IHG continues to build strong momentum as we purposefully scale our portfolio, surpassing 150,000 open rooms in the region – a significant milestone for our business. We are growing both new and established brands in priority markets to strengthen our presence across all four segments, underpinned by sustained investment in our enterprise to ensure every IHG brand and hotel remains competitive. 

“It is also a moment to recognise our hotel teams across Europe, who consistently deliver exceptional guest experiences in some of the world’s most desirable cities and resort destinations. This achievement reflects the collective strength of our colleagues in more than 40 countries and their unwavering commitment to bringing IHG’s True Hospitality for Good to life.” 

IHG’s growth across Europe spans its Luxury & Lifestyle, Premium, Essentials and Suites portfolios. Recent highlights include. 

Luxury and Lifestyle: Openings and signings such as Six Senses London and InterContinental Prague, alongside the continued growth of Kimpton and Vignette Collection in key European markets. 

Premium: Momentum continues, with the launch of Noted Collection as its latest Premium Collection brand, further strengthening its offer in Europe. Additional momentum driven by signings including Crowne Plaza - Marne-la-Vallée near Disneyland Paris, the addition of Ruby Hotels, and the further expansion of voco. 

Essentials: Garner continues to grow, with brand launches in the UK, Germany, Italy and Turkiye in 2025, while the Holiday Inn Brand Family remains a cornerstone of IHG’s portfolio, accounting for more than 60% of the company’s open European estate. 

Suites: Candlewood Suites debuts in Iceland with the opening of Candlewood Suites Reykjavik, while Staybridge Suites enters Italy with Staybridge Suites Milan NoLo. 

Sheppard continued: “The strong growth across our brand portfolio reflects the rising confidence and trust we are seeing from both new and existing owners in Europe. That confidence is underpinned by the consistent performance of our brands, the strength of our commercial platforms and our ability to support owners with scale, expertise and long-term value creation in a highly competitive market. 

“Conversions are playing an increasingly significant role in our growth, accounting for 84% of room openings and 61% of room signings in Europe in 2025. This highlights owners’ appetite for a faster, lower risk route to market, allowing them to quickly tap into the strength of IHG’s brands, distribution, loyalty and commercial engine.” 

IHG has 1,230 open and pipeline hotels across over 40 countries in Europe. Its largest markets include the UK & Ireland (404 open and pipeline properties), Germany (242 open and pipeline properties), France (84 open and pipeline properties), and Spain (81 open and pipeline properties). -TradeArabia News Service