IHG Q3: US Occupancy Highest Since 2017, RevPAR Up 6.8%
The hotel group saw Americas RevPAR increase by 6.8% year-on-year, with United States occupancy reaching its highest point since 2017 during the quarter.
Global and Americas RevPAR Growth
IHG Hotels & Resorts announced robust financial results for the third quarter of 2026, with global revenue per available room (RevPAR) rising by 5.3% year-on-year. The Americas region led this growth, recording a 6.8% increase in RevPAR during the period, according to the hotel group's recent earnings report.
In the United States specifically, RevPAR climbed by 6.9% year-on-year, with occupancy reaching 73.9%. This figure marks the highest occupancy level for the US market since 2017, as stated by IHG Chief Financial Officer Michael Glover. Mr Glover attributed the strong US performance to the sustained health and broad expansion of the American economy.
Demand Drivers and Development Outlook
The positive performance across the Americas was fuelled by growth in all three key demand segments during the third quarter. Group room revenue saw a 12% year-on-year increase, leisure travel revenue rose by 7%, and business travel revenue grew by 6%.
IHG CFO Michael Glover also noted that the final stages of the World Cup contributed an additional 40 basis points to the US RevPAR growth. Looking ahead, IHG Chief Executive Officer Elie Maalouf anticipates 2026 will conclude as another year of record development activity for the company, projecting it to be the fifth consecutive year of accelerating net system growth.
Global Expansion and Brand Momentum
Globally, IHG expanded its portfolio by opening 12,900 rooms across 92 new hotels in the third quarter, bringing its total global system to 7,186 properties. Development efforts are currently balanced between new constructions and hotel conversions, with conversions progressing more rapidly through the pipeline, according to IHG CEO Elie Maalouf.
The company's collection and conversion-focused brands, including voco, Vignette, and Garner, are gaining considerable momentum. Mark Sergot, IHG's Chief Development Officer for the Americas, highlighted Garner as the fastest-scaling brand in IHG's history, now with 100 properties operational.
Notable regional milestones included IHG reaching 1,000 open hotels in Europe, 200 global openings for its Hotel Indigo brand, and 150 for voco.
Americas Pipeline and Asian Market Implications
In the Americas, IHG added 5,700 hotel rooms across 65 properties to its development pipeline during the quarter. Conversions now represent 50% of openings and 60% of signings year-to-date in 2026.
The region also saw gross system growth of 3.6% year-on-year, with 4,000 rooms from 39 hotels opened in Q3, an increase of 1,300 rooms compared to the same period last year, Michael Glover stated. Net system growth in the Americas advanced by 2.1% year-on-year. IHG now forecasts a 4.8% net unit growth for the full year 2026, an increase from its earlier projection of 4.2%.
For Asian markets, IHG’s strong global development momentum, particularly with conversion-friendly brands, suggests a potential for accelerated growth in regions like Southeast Asia, where existing properties can be rebranded efficiently to meet rising demand for international standards without extensive new construction.
Operators in cities such as Bangkok and Jakarta could observe similar conversion strategies to quickly expand brand presence.
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