• Four hotels with 2,709 rooms to open in Ba Na Hills and Quang Hanh’s Yoko Park
• MoU signed to bring Vignette Collection onsen-wellness resorts to Việt Nam

Danang, Vietnam – 18 June 2022: IHG Hotels & Resorts (IHG), one of the world’s leading hotel companies, has announced a strategic alliance framework agreement with long-term partners Sun Hospitality Group (SHG) to introduce fresh and innovative concepts, experiences and products in Việt Nam.

IHG and SHG – a member of Sun Group, one of the leading real estate and tourism developers in Việt Nam – will extend their decade-long relationship with a multi-property agreement to develop four hotels across two destinations in Việt Nam, offering 2,709 rooms to meet the rising demand of domestic and international guests.

IHG’s Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn Resort and voco brand , IHG’s versatile, upscale brand, will take centre stage in the expansion of Ba Na Hills – Việt Nams leading highlands entertainment complex – while its much-loved Holiday Inn Resort brand will make its debut in Quang Ninh Province, within Yoko Park – the first large-scale hot spring resort in the country.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has also been signed by the companies to explore further projects – starting with developing a range of Vignette Collection onsen-wellness resorts and products in collaboration with world-renowned spa and wellness consultant Raison d’Etre (RdE).

The announcement coincides with two major milestones: the 15th anniversary of Sun Group and 10 years of welcoming guests at the award-winning InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort, which opened in June 2012.

As part of the agreement, IHG and SHG also intend to collaborate on learning and development, quality assurance, the joint creation of new lines of products and services, and corporate social responsibility efforts in Việt Nam.

Serena Lim, Vice President, Development, South East Asia and Korea, IHG said: “It’s wonderful to be celebrating more than a decade of working with Sun Hospitality Group – together, we’ve achieved so much in that time.

"Today’s announcement is a testament to the fantastic relationship we have built since first setting out our shared vision for InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort, which is now celebrating its 10th anniversary as one of the most sought-after hotel destinations in Asia.

“Our new landmark portfolio deal of four hotels with 2,709 rooms increases 10-fold the total number of rooms IHG is managing for SHG. I’m delighted that our plans to develop three hotels together in Ba Na Hills cement our status as the leading hotel operator in Central Việt Nam, with more than 4,000 rooms opened and, in the pipeline, across our InterContinental, Hotel Indigo, Crowne Plaza, voco and Holiday Inn brands in Danang and Hoi An.

“At IHG, we’re always thinking about growth, so I’m especially excited about taking our relationship with SHG to the next level with an MoU for a strategic alliance framework agreement to collaborate on further projects – starting with the debut of Vignette Collection in Việt Nam. I’m certain that the brand’s onsen-wellness concept and experience will set a new benchmark for hospitality in the country, and we can’t wait to introduce it to our guests.”

Nguyen Vu Quynh Anh, Chief Executive Officer, Sun Hospitality Group

Nguyen Vu Quynh Anh, Chief Executive Officer, Sun Hospitality Group, said: “We are excited to extend our successful partnership with IHG. Together, we’re committed to pushing the boundaries of Việt Nam tourism and hospitality by creating world-class destination concepts and experiences.”

“SHG and IHG have always aligned with our inherent desire to innovate, do business responsibly and think about the future. We’re developing stunning destinations for domestic and international travellers with long-term sustainability and will directly create jobs and economic development opportunities for people and communities across Việt Nam.

“Together, we’ll promote the beauty and potential of Việt Nam globally for many years to come with our three new IHG-managed hotels in Ba Na Hills, an outstanding wellness experience at Holiday Inn Resort Yoko Park, and a range of Vignette Collection all-villa onsen-wellness resorts, starting with two in Quang Hanh. Offering one-of-a-kind stays, the Vignette Collection brand is a great fit for our onsen-wellness collaboration, with each hotel serving up a distinct service style and character to emphasize each particular location.”

This latest collaboration between IHG and SHG introduces Vignette Collection to Việt Nam. IHG’s newest luxury and lifestyle brand is a collection of luxury, independent and unique hotels that benefit from IHG’s global scale and expertise while retaining their unique identity and experience.

The 178-villa Sun Onsen Village, Vignette Collection and 194-villa Quang Hanh Onsen Village, Vignette Collection, located adjacent to the popular Yoko Onsen, are the first two projects under the collaboration. Like others to follow, each project will have its own theme and focus and feature individual experiences and products tailor-made by RdE, the project’s spa and wellness consultant and partner.

These holistic wellness destinations are perfectly aligned with the growing wellness travel trend. Having experienced long periods of isolation, travellers are re-evaluating their personal priorities and seeking opportunities to improve their physical, mental, and spiritual health.

The global wellness tourism market is expected to surpass US$900 billion by the end of this year.    

Việt Nam continues to be a strong growth market for IHG, which has 15 opened hotels in the country and aims to double its estate by 2027 through a pipeline of 20 properties, making more than 6,000 additional rooms available to guests.

Following the recent brand debut of Regent Hotels & Resorts with Regent Phu Quoc, IHG will introduce its premium brand voco hotels by opening voco Ma Belle Danang next year.

It continues to grow across all market segments. It welcomes domestic and international travellers to new secondary and tertiary destinations, including Ha Long Bay, Sapa, Ba Na Hills, Yoko Park, Phu Quoc, Vinh Yen and more.

About Ba Na Hills Entertainment Complex (Phase Two)

Phase two of the expansion of Ba Na Hills is set to be completed in 2026. The integrated resort destination was the company’s first large-scale tourism investment. It is now taking it to new heights by partnering with IHG, targeting 10 million visitors by 2030.

The newly-expanded Ba Na Hills will feature three IHG-managed hotels totalling 2,093 rooms: 602-room Crowne Plaza Danang Ba Na Hills, 843-room Holiday Inn Resort Danang Ba Na Hills and 648-room voco Danang Ba Na Hills. The hotels will be fully integrated into further phase two developments, including landscaped gardens, retail and dining outlets, and an events amphitheatre for 2,500 people.

About Quang Hanh’s Yoko Park

Yoko Park is the first large-scale hot spring resort in Việt Nam and part of Sun Group’s efforts to enhance Quang Ninh Province, home of the fabled Halong Bay.

As part of its aim to develop the infrastructure of Quang Ninh, the company has built a connecting highway and privately developed Van Don International Airport on a private-public partnership basis to support the tourism ecosystem. It has also introduced unique developments into the province, including the Sun World theme park in Halong City.

Opening in 2026, the 616-room Holiday Inn Resort Yoko Park Onsen will be built against a stunning natural landscape of limestone mountains and natural hot springs, expanding the existing Yoko Onsen Quang Hanh Resort.

As part of this destination resort, guests can access themed baths, a mini water park, a retail village, a wellness centre and dining experiences, and outdoor activities such as mountain hiking.