InterContinental Hotels Group, the world’s largest and most global hotel company, has
announced a new incentive plan to attract African-American, Hispanic and
Native American developers to its already diverse family of owners and
operators of InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn,
Holiday Inn Express, Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites branded
hotels in the U.S. “While African-American, Hispanic and Native American entrepreneurs have
been active in franchising, they have been less so in the hotel industry.
Our industry and our company have many wonderful benefits and
opportunities, and we seek to broaden this understanding and attract
greater minority ownership through an ambitious program of education,
training and financial support. Our Franchise Development Program will
make it easier for African-American, Hispanic and Native American
applicants to own and operate an InterContinental Hotels Group branded
hotel,” said Jerome Miller, vice president and chief diversity officer,
Diversity and Inclusion, IHG.

Under the program, IHG will reduce the initial application fee to $10,000
and allow the property to retain usual royalty fees of five percent for
the hotel’s first 12 months. Plus, an IHG affiliate will provide hotel
operations training on-site and operations mentoring for six months
following the hotel’s opening. The company will also provide management
training to the hotel operator at no additional cost. To qualify under
this program, the applicant entity must be majority owned and controlled
by one or more African-American, Hispanic or Native American persons and
meet all other franchise criteria. The terms of the program are disclosed
in the uniform franchise offering circular for each of IHG’s brands.

For additional information regarding IHG’s Minority Incentive Franchise
Development Program, please contact our Diversity and Inclusion office at
770-604-8181.
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