With thoughtfully designed spaces and guest
experiences focused on connection, Crowne Plaza remains a top
choice for hybrid travelers
ATLANTA, Feb. 25,
2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Crowne Plaza by IHG – one
of the world's largest premium hotel brands and a thought-leader in
the blended travel space – has released its second white paper,
Leading the Charge in Blended Travel. The report
unveils a major shift in how people live and work since its 2022
report, particularly as companies embrace the 'return to office'
more broadly. Currently, 66 percent of U.S. and U.K. travelers
actively combine business trips with personal leisure time, up from
53 percent in 2022. Among them, 56 percent say the ability to
travel while working (i.e. blended travel) is a key benefit of
remote work.
To gauge the global reach of this trend, Crowne Plaza
commissioned a YouGov survey of over 12,000 people across the U.S.,
U.K., Germany, Australia, Singapore, Japan, Saudi
Arabia, U.A.E. and India.
The findings revealed 72 percent of respondents in other markets
surveyed* agree blended travel is beneficial and offers greater
flexibility, suggesting travelers everywhere are eager to make the
most of their time away.
"Flexibility in where and when people work is now an expectation
for today's professionals," said Ginger
Taggart, Vice President of Brand Management – Global Premium
Brands, IHG Hotels & Resorts. "Crowne Plaza has tracked the
evolution of work-leisure integration for years. Blended travel has
shifted from a trend to a permanent way of life—whether it's
extending a business trip, working remotely from a dream
destination, or finding inspiration on the go. As this shift
evolves and becomes more sophisticated, we're not just responding
to it—we're actively shaping the future of it by reimagining Crowne
Plaza hotel designs, creating curated social spaces, and rolling
out purpose-driven experiences that support a more dynamic,
fulfilling way of traveling."
The Evolution of Blended Travel
The Leading the Charge in Blended Travel white paper
reveals four emerging trends driven by travelers seeking greater
flexibility as a means to achieve broader goals.
- Improve and Grow: Blended travel is now key to both
personal and professional growth, with travelers linking their
journeys to self-improvement, skill development, and creative
exploration. Unlike traditional travel, which focused on rest and
recharging, today's travelers see time away as an active pursuit
that fuels creativity and enhances well-being. Blended travel
offers a powerful catalyst for creativity by exposing individuals
to new environments that inspire fresh ideas. The YouGov survey
findings further back this trend, revealing the top motivator for
combining work and leisure travel is to explore destinations they
otherwise would not have visited (40%). The desire to be stimulated
by new surroundings has always been part of why we travel, and
Crowne Plaza meets this need with a variety of inspiring meeting
and events spaces – from Victorian ballrooms at Crowne Plaza Royal
Victoria Sheffield in the U.K. to the expansive 38-acre campus of
Crowne Plaza Atlanta SW – Peachtree
City in the U.S., complete with an outdoor amphitheater.
- Mind-Body Equity: Wellness is now woven into every
aspect of life, and travel is no exception. Thirty-five (35)
percent of YouGov survey respondents said blended travel helps them
establish healthier routines and reduce stress. Embracing this
trend, Crowne Plaza has developed a series of daily rituals
designed to promote mental and physical health during guests' stay,
such as energizing smoothies at Crowne Plaza Helsinki – Hesperia
during breakfast packed full of ingredients to kick start your
morning to Crowne Plaza Amsterdam – South hosting weekly guided
runs to help guests relive stress and wind down.
- The New Personal Travel Economy: New traveler demands
are all about getting the most value from our time and money. Every
moment, dollar, and ounce of energy spent is expected to feel
meaningful. According to the YouGov survey, the top benefit of this
trend is the ability to extend trips at a lower personal cost –
with 70 percent of respondents saying affordable deals or amenities
that cater to both business and leisure would encourage them to
pursue blended travel experiences. Through the IHG One Rewards
program, members staying at a Crowne Plaza hotel can earn and
redeem points for free nights, unlock access to exclusive
experiences and events, and enjoy Milestone Reward benefits such as
bonus points, Food & Beverage Rewards, Confirmable Suite
Upgrades, and much more.
- Intentional Togetherness: With much of life lived
online, travelers are placing greater value on in-person connection
with colleagues, loved ones and new acquaintances. Thirty-seven
percent of respondents surveyed by YouGov cite being able to spend
quality time with family and friends around their work as a reason
to combine business and leisure travel. Crowne Plaza's Meetings
& Events Concierge program caters to this, offering
personalized itineraries that enable all guests to explore the
locality and enjoy meaningful connections.
Crowne Plaza Unveils Global Refresh to Meet Needs of Modern
Travelers
Since launching the first business-class hotel in 1983, Crowne
Plaza has remained a bold, inventive leader in the hospitality
industry. Crowne Plaza is never standing still – always looking to
the future – passionate about meeting the evolving needs of
travelers on a global scale. From enhanced guest room zoning to
reimagined Meetings & Events, Crowne Plaza continues to stay
ahead of consumer expectations with a new modern design and guest
experience.
Currently, 70 percent of Crowne Plaza properties in the
Americas are new to the system or have undergone a renovation,
while more than 60 percent of properties across Europe, the Middle
East, Asia and Africa will have seen a renovation by the end
of 2026. This global revitalization positions Crowne Plaza to
accelerate IHG's growth in the global blended travel market, which
is projected to grow from $315
billion in 2022 to more than $731
billion by 2032.
With more than 400 properties across 67 countries, and steady
demand from owners and guests, the brand's accelerated growth plan
includes the addition of 140 properties in the pipeline – expanding
its current system size by more than 35 percent.
To learn more or to book a stay, visit
https://www.ihg.com/crowneplaza/hotels/us/en/reservation or
download the IHG One Rewards mobile app.
System and pipeline data as of Q4 2024 unless noted
otherwise.
Methodology
The consumer research was conducted by YouGov between
17th December 2024 –
13th January 2025 with a
sample of 12,184 adults in the U.S., U.K., Australia, Germany, India, Japan,
Saudi Arabia, Singapore and the U.A.E. All figures, unless
otherwise stated, are from YouGov. The survey was carried out
online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of
all adults (aged 18+), respective of their countries.
The Crowne Plaza white paper includes a survey of 296 IHG
business and leisure travelers from the U.S. and U.K. conducted
with Material via the IHG One Rewards online community between
August 28 and September
5, 2024.
Travel trends were identified by Stylus, the expert source of
trend and insights, using its proprietary six stage qualitative
trend methodology, consolidating new, emerging consumer and
traveller trends from its global tracking of consumer lifestyle,
product, service and engagement signals.
*The data presented in this one statement is based on surveys
conducted in countries other than the U.S. & U.K.
About Crowne Plaza
As one of world's largest premium
hotel brands with locations in city, airport, resort and suburban
destinations, Crowne Plaza is perfectly placed to meet the
needs of today's guest, whether they are traveling for business,
leisure, or a blend of both. For more information,
visit www.crowneplaza.com, and connect with us
on Facebook and Instagram.
About IHG®
IHG Hotels & Resorts (tickers: LON:IHG for Ordinary
Shares; NYSE:IHG for ADRs) is a global hospitality company, with a
purpose to provide True Hospitality for Good.
With a family of 19 hotel brands and IHG One Rewards, one of the
world's largest hotel loyalty programmes with over 145m members, IHG has over 6,600 open hotels in
over 100 countries, and a development pipeline of over 2,200
properties.
- Luxury & Lifestyle: Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas,
Regent Hotels & Resorts, InterContinental Hotels & Resorts,
Vignette Collection, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, Hotel
Indigo
- Premium: voco hotels, HUALUXE Hotels & Resorts,
Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, EVEN Hotels
- Essentials: Holiday Inn Hotels & Resorts, Holiday
Inn Express, Garner hotels, avid hotels
- Suites: Atwell Suites, Staybridge Suites, Holiday Inn
Club Vacations, Candlewood Suites
- Exclusive Partners: Iberostar Beachfront Resorts
InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the Group's holding company
and is incorporated and registered in England and Wales. Approximately 385,000 people work
across IHG's hotels and corporate offices globally.
Visit us online for more about our hotels and
reservations and IHG One Rewards. To download the IHG One
Rewards app, visit the Apple App or Google
Play stores.
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SOURCE IHG Hotels & Resorts