IHG Broadens Japan Hotel Portfolio, Enhances ANA Loyalty Programme
IHG Hotels & Resorts details its strategic expansion across Japan, adding new brands and properties. The company also strengthens loyalty offerings through an enhanced partnership with ANA and new collaborations to attract both international and domestic travellers.
Strategic Growth in Japan
IHG Hotels & Resorts shows a significant expansion of its presence across Japan. The company identifies Japan as a priority market, citing its position as the world's third largest hotel market. IHG's strategy includes new hotel constructions, property conversions, and strategic alliances. This approach aims to capture a larger share of both the international inbound and the substantial domestic travel markets. The company plans to offer diverse options across various price points, from luxury to midscale segments, in both major cities and regional areas. This multi-segment representation is central to IHG’s long-term success in the Japanese market, where capital remains comparatively inexpensive globally.
Diversified Brand Portfolio Developments
IHG's expansion includes several key brand introductions and re-entries. The Holiday Inn brand returned to Tokyo and Kyoto in 2025, marking a significant development for the widely recognised brand. InterContinental Sapporo opened in October 2025, establishing a luxury presence in Hokkaido, following the ANA InterContinental Beppu Resort & Spa opening in Oita Prefecture in 2019. In 2024, the Garner brand debuted outside North America in Osaka, demonstrating IHG’s ability to compete in the midscale segment by offering loyalty programme access. Furthermore, properties converting to IHG's brand system, such as Holiday Inn & Suites Sapporo Odori Park, have revealed substantial growth following their rebranding.
Enhanced Loyalty and Domestic Market Focus
IHG is strengthening its loyalty offerings, notably through its 20-year joint venture with ANA. After October, a new comprehensive loyalty programme will roll out, enabling members to link their ANA Mileage Club and IHG One Rewards accounts for cross-over benefits. Additional partnerships include Rakuten, which reaches 95 million users across Japan, and a Line mini app to facilitate bookings for Japanese consumers. This focus on local partnerships supports IHG's strategy to engage the domestic consumer base, which accounts for approximately 150 million travellers per quarter. Co-branded hotels, such as ANA Holiday Inn Tosu in Saga and ANA Holiday Inn Kobe Sanda, both opened in April, also support this domestic outreach. IHG aims to reward its 160 million global IHG One Rewards members with tailored solutions, allowing them to earn points or miles with partners like ANA or Rakuten.
Future Luxury and Wellness Offerings
The company’s future plans include further specialised offerings. The Regent brand will open its first resort in Japan in Karuizawa, Nagano, in 2028. This wellness retreat is being designed by renowned architect Kengo Kuma. IHG is also bringing the Six Senses brand to Myoko Kogen, Niigata, combining a ski resort setting with the brand’s wellness focus. These developments demonstrate IHG’s commitment to building products relevant for Japan, including tailoring brand concepts like Garner to local market preferences, such as specific room sizes and food and beverage offerings. IHG continues to refine its localised commercial engine to suit both its B2B owner community and its diverse consumer base.
Implications for Travellers and Industry
This expansion by IHG will provide travellers to Japan with a broader range of accommodation choices across various price points and segments. Members of IHG One Rewards and ANA Mileage Club can anticipate enhanced benefits and greater flexibility in earning and redeeming points. For the hospitality industry, IHG's diversified approach, combining new builds, conversions, and robust loyalty partnerships, establishes a benchmark for engaging both international and domestic markets. Competitors may need to consider similar strategies for brand diversification and integrated loyalty programmes to maintain their market position in Japan's dynamic travel landscape.
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