IHG agrees to manage, rebrand Leisure Hotel Holding's Strand Tower Hotel

In partnership with Leisure Hotel Holding, InterContinental Hotels Group will open the Holiday Inn Cape Town later this year. Currently operating as Strand Tower Hotel, the rebranded property will be the first Holiday Inn in the city. This signing is in line with IHG’s strategy to increase its brand’s visibility and franchise estate in South Africa. 

Cape Town already has the Holiday Inn Express Cape Town City Centre.

The 242-guestroom Holiday Inn Cape Town will be near various attractions, such as V&A Waterfront, entertainment centers, government offices, and tourist attractions, such as Table Mountain, Lions Head and the city harbor. Cape Town is South Africa’s key tourism destination, which has the Garden route and safari trips. In addition, Cape Town has the second busiest airport in South Africa with direct flights from Paris, London and Dubai and connections with various airlines.

New for Laos

This month, IHG also set plans to debut the Holiday Inn brand in Vientiane, Laos. After signing its third management agreement with BIM Group, the two groups will now own this hotel along with the Crowne Plaza Vientiane and the InterContinental Phu Quoc Long Beach Resort & Residences. Set to open in 2019, the 250-guestroom Holiday Inn & Suites Vientiane, which includes 50 long-stay suites, will be part of a mixed-use development with the existing Crowne Plaza Vientiane, office towers and a retail mall. Within the city center, the new-build hotel will be near the airport, embassies, government offices, banks and corporate offices in the city. The hotel will also be close to the downtown area and tourist attractions, such as the Lao National Museum, night market and Mekong River.

Laos is one of the fastest-growing nations in South East Asia, with up to eight percent GDP growth over the past few years. In addition to infrastructural and industrial developments underway that are set to boost economic growth and attract foreign investment, there is also a strong upward trend in its tourism sector. Last year, Laos received 4.23 million visitors—a 10-percent growth over the last five years. By 2025, visitor arrivals are expected to double to 8.2 million.