InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has inked a management pact for Regent Hotels & Resorts (晶華麗晶酒店) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in a bid to expand the brand’s international reach.
The agreement came four months after IHG acquired a majority stake in Taipei-based Regent Hotels & Resorts from Formosa International Hotels Corp (FIHC, 晶華麗晶酒店集團) for US$60 billion to boost its global presence as the industry consolidates.
Regent Kuala Lumpur is to be situated next to the Tun Razak Exchange project, touted to be the next financial district of Kuala Lumpur and an extension of the city’s golden triangle known for its commercial, shopping and entertainment options, IHG said on its Web site.
IHG has relaunched the Regent brand to bring it into the top end of its portfolio.
“The new positioning and brand identity will allow us to take the brand to the world’s best destinations and help position Regent as a real leader within luxury hospitality,” IHG chief executive officer Keith Barr said at its rebranding event in Singapore on Thursday.
The company hopes to expand its global footprint in the fast-growing luxury segment, backed by the Regent and Kimpton brands, Barr said.
IHG intends to grow the Regent portfolio from six hotels to more than 40 in global gateway cities and resort locations, he said.
Plans are under way to rebrand InterContinental Hong Kong as a Regent hotel in 2021, IHG said, adding that the rebranding would see the hotel return to its roots, having first opened its doors as a Regent in 1980.
FIHC executive chairman Steven Pan (潘思亮) said he is glad IHG shares his vision about Regent and can already foresee what could be achieved via the alliance with one of the world’s largest hotel companies.
“It is an exciting time for the brand as we propel Regent back to worldwide reach and evolve the brand to appeal to luxury travelers,” Pan said.
FIHC is to focus on running Regent Taipei and other brands such as Silks Place (晶英酒店) and Just Sleep (捷絲旅) in Taiwan.
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