IHG Signs a 14-Hotel Conversion Deal in Kyoto
An agreement with GCP Hospitality brings 14 Kyoto hotels into IHG’s portfolio.
IHG Hotels & Resorts has signed a 14-hotel portfolio deal in Kyoto with GCP Hospitality, one of the larger hotel conversion agreements announced in Japan in recent years.
The August 24 agreement covers 1,063 rooms: twelve hotels will become Garner properties, one will join Holiday Inn Express and one will remain unbranded. Openings are planned in phases following renovations and rebranding over the next twelve months.
A large-scale bet on Kyoto
The properties are spread across key Kyoto districts, including areas around Kyoto Station, Shijo and Gojo. IHG says the transaction will make it one of the largest international hotel companies operating in the city.
The deal is also a reminder that international hotel growth in Japan is not limited to new luxury construction. Conversion brands allow existing buildings to join global distribution and loyalty systems relatively quickly, potentially changing the competitive landscape without adding the same volume of newly built rooms.
IHG already operates brands in Kyoto ranging from Six Senses to Holiday Inn, giving the new portfolio a deliberately broad market position.
Source: official announcement.