A two-bedroom pool villa at voco Quang Binh Resort, by IHG in VietnamIHGWithin seven years of announcing the launch of the voco brand, IHG Hotels & Resorts reached the 100-hotel milestone and has been building momentum ever since with the recent news of a new signing in Phuket, Thailand and the opening of its first property in Malaysia. For IHG One Rewards members, this is great news for travelers looking to earn or redeem points at high-end hotels around the world.Ginger Taggart, vice president, brand management – global premium brands for IHG Hotels & Resorts, says that the goal was to reach 200 hotels within its first decade, and it remains on target to get there although the pipeline has grown even faster. Things are moving quickly, growing from 100 open and pipeline hotels in 2023 to 250 hotels this year, either open or in the pipeline.The entrance to the first voco resort in the world, in Quang Binh, VietnamIHGAs a so-called “soft brand” for IHG, voco can accelerate its growth pace, when compared to other new hotel launch projects, because it is focused on conversion opportunities. In other words, existing hotels (or current hotel projects underway) can easily switch to the voco name without having to conform their infrastructure to a strict guideline that you might find at brands like InterContinental, Marriott or Hilton, for example.“In a market where cost of capital remains elevated, along with an interest rate environment still not favorable for new development, conversions have become a way for lodging companies to expand net unit growth without putting shovels into the ground, and a brand like IHG’s voco fits that mold, having shown considerable growth in the eight years since it launched,” says David Eisen, editor in chief of HOTELS magazine. “It’s quicker than ground-up development and satiates Wall Street, which rewards companies on growth.”A guest room at voco hotels, one of hundreds of individual designs at its global hotels.IHGWith a flexible approach to the layout or design and operational framework, the voco brand cuts down on the upfront costs of joining the IHG system while delivering instant access to its global distribution systems. Think of it as a shortcut for a local hotel to instantly attract international attention.“New-construction economics are brutal due to relatively tight credit and rising labor costs, so chains are racing to acquire existing hotels instead,” says Sean O’Neill, senior hospitality editor for Skift, adding that being able to plug into a global distribution system and tens of millions of loyalty members who book travel directly is wise for hoteliers. “From a hotel owner's perspective, you can convert more cheaply than doing a full renovation or building a new hotel, and the new brand may help drive higher room rates at higher margins.”But, why should consumers care? White Sands Hotel will become the first voco in Hawaii's Waikiki Beach area.IHGBecause there are more and more hotels joining loyalty programs, some with unfamiliar brand names or none at all, giving no initial indication it belongs to a hospitality group. This means there are opportunities to earn and redeem points where you may not expect them. And for IHG One Rewards members, who for years had more hotel options in the mid-tier segment than the luxury market, the opportunities to redeem points at high-end properties is quickly growing.What’s In A Name?The public spaces of voco can vary by location, but follow three signature themes.IHGIn Latin, the word voco means “to invite” or “to bring together,” and it was chosen because IHG’s plans to build the upscale brand by eschewing stuffy experiences in favor of a more light-hearted and casual approach. There are brand standards, of course, but each hotel can execute them in their own style. Not every hotel will look or feel the same.The three voco brand mascotsIHGAround voco hotels, guests will notice three bird mascots: the finch, the owl and the flamingo (each holding a hotel key in their beaks). They represent different themes, what voco likes to call “come on in,” “me time,” and “voco life.” In other words, respectively: the arrival or welcome experience enjoyed with a local treat, a relaxing space to kick back (whether in your room or the spa) and a social space like a restaurant or bar. After all, flamingos always spend time in pairs or larger groups. These cheeky animal references appear in artwork, subtle design touches and even staff lapel pins.A soft brand refers to the idea where hotels can showcase their own personality, but must still adhere to recognizable standards around the world. In voco’s rooms, that means plant-based toiletries in eco-friendly bottles and recycled materials filling the pillows and duvets while the interiors will look different in each location. An indoor-outdoor bathroom at voco Quang Binh Resort in VietnamIHGAll properties must meet high standards from an “IHG Scorecard” that covers dozens of focal points before being approved as a fit for voco. They include things like high-tech amenities in the room (the minimum is three power ports and 5Mb WiFi), premium bedding with guest room soundproofing standards, multiple light settings in the room, showers that meet certain flow rates, hot breakfast buffets with a la carte items and barista-made coffee and cocktails.Each hotel is unique within voco, and they all participate in the IHG One Rewards program.IHG/White Sands HotelIHG refers to it as “the perfect mix of reliability and difference,” meaning the dependable standards are in place, but the way they get displayed or experiences vary based on where you are. They are, in IHG’s words, “characterful hotels with a name that you can trust plus the security of a bigger brand, without the vanilla experience.”Where Will You Find Them?“Conversion and soft brands are expanding roughly 10 times faster than traditional hard brands,” says O’Neill, according to his site’s estimates. “Conversion brands are one of the smartest growth tools the big hotel groups like IHG have right now.”The open-air lobby at the first voco resort in the portfolio, in Quang Binh, VietnamIHGUp until last year, most voco properties were found in cities or suburban areas, but it has recently begun adding resorts to its portfolio. This scaleup of the leisure side of the business is what excites some industry experts.The 100th hotel opening was voco Guilin Yangshuo in China. The next milestone came when the first voco resort opened in Quang Binh, a burgeoning beach resort destination in Central Vietnam that is betting on tourism to boost its economy. The province itself is one of the poorest in the country, but the construction boom along its coastline is changing that tune…and fast.Outdoor patios, some with plunge pools, are an advantage for guests to voco Quang Binh Resort in Vietnam. This pool belongs to the Presidential Villa.IHGWhen voco Quang Binh Resort opened, it brought the first international brand to the region, a symbol of pride for local economic leaders. This can help to spur international tourism while also serving the needs of a growing middle class in Vietnam looking to travel. It features 68 Indochine-inspired suites and villas along the beach and a spa with 17 treatment rooms.The Vietnamese coastline is filled with resort destinations representing both domestic and international investment, and its foreign profile for tourists is rising. With Thailand nearby, many travelers are finding more affordable vacations (at the same level of quality and hospitality) in Vietnam. Europeans, Chinese, Indian, Australian and a growing number of American tourists are flocking here for a beach holiday.The Oasis Pool bar at voco Quang Binh Resort in VietnamIHG“As the country’s tourism industry continues to evolve, IHG sees significant opportunities not only in established gateway cities, but also in emerging destinations that offer strong tourism potential and distinctive local experiences,” says Taggert.At voco Quang Binh Resort, architects built the property with subtle references to the province’s UNESCO-listed Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, home to a network of caves, caverns and underwater waterways, including the world’s largest cave, Son Doong. curving arches along its open-air lobby, within its individual villa and suite structures, and in its main restaurant allude to tourist sites with which many frequent travelers may still be unfamiliar.Indoor pool, spa and gardens at voco Quang Binh ResortIHG“The opening of voco Quang Binh Resort is significant not only for IHG, but for the wider tourism landscape in Quang Binh,” notes Mai Tran, general manager of the resort. “As the first voco resort globally and the first internationally-branded resort in the province, it shines a global spotlight on one of Vietnam's most remarkable up-and-coming destinations.”Bringing tourism to new destinations, says Tran, drives investment, jobs and economic prosperity in the community. She highlights how hotel jobs for locals develops lifelong skills and creates pathways to career opportunities in tourism closer to home for so many people, expanding to local businesses, tour operators, suppliers and the wider community. “We have already seen incredible enthusiasm from our staff who are eager to showcase their culture, says Tran, who points out that across IHG’s Vietnam properties, 95% of its 4,000 employees are Vietnamese.Families will find rooms at voco Quang Binh Resort with bunk beds to be especially convenient.IHGThe resort features a rooftop garden and sunset terrace overlooking the sparkling pool and South China Sea. It has quickly become popular with business and incentive groups, filling the gaps when tourists are not out in full force. For example, the summer months skew more heavily to regional guests when kids are out of school.This mix of business and leisure travelers is a focus for the voco brand, and with such a wide array of properties under its purview, it cannot afford to neglect either sector. The largest voco in the Americas opened earlier this year, voco Times Square-Broadway in New York, and the White Sands Hotel in Waikiki will bring the voco brand to Hawaii this coming winter. The lobby lounge of voco Times Square-Broadway in New YorkIHGRepresenting a mix of urban and leisure business, New York’s hotel offers the best of both areas of focus. It was one of the last new-build development projects approved for this landmark neighborhood and the only hotel to have a rooftop with unobstructed city skyline views.In addition to currently open resorts, the first all-inclusive property (voco Sandpiper in Florida) is now open with more international growth coming to countries like Poland, Ireland, China and Australia. It has additional signed deals for openings in China and Thailand, further expanding its brand name, now in more than two dozen countries with its most recent hotel marking its debut in Malaysia with voco Kuching.The pool at IHG's new all-inclusive voco resort in FloridaIHGO’Neill adds, “IHG hasn't really had a brand for upscale resorts in the Caribbean, so voco is a promising brand to apply to the resort segment.”IHG executives say this is coming soon with Cancun planned to open next year.In Quang Binh, guests can cycle around the area on borrowed bikes, take a dip in an indoor hydrotherapy pool, or order up a floating afternoon tea, barbecue platter or breakfast to enjoy while taking a dip in the pool. The “me time” concept, says resort general manager Mai Tran, is built around letting guests customize their experience.Are Soft Brands Growing In Popularity?A guest room at voco New York Times Square-BroadwayIHGWhile this concept is nothing new, soft brands fit many needs, including travelers that want to experience something local without feeling that they are staying in a chain. Hotels can march to their own drum while following particular standards without the uniform look that many traditional hotel brands offer.“Soft brands are not new phenomena, but their popularity has grown in an age where, particularly for an independent-spirited hotel, being seen is as important as what is seen,” writes Eisen in an article earlier this year.The pool at voco Lake Nicaragua in Granada, Nicaragua, another example of IHG becoming one of the first international brand names in a destination.IHGHe refers to Chekitan Dev, who teaches branding and marketing at the Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration, citing his comments that “soft brands are nothing short of genius.”Dev praises the model saying that they offer hotels individuality plus the commercial engine of a major brand.Theobalds Estate in Hertfordshire, England will become the first of IHG's new soft brand Noted Collection.IHGIHG’s voco is not the only one finding success in this sector. To name just a few, Marriott has Autograph Collection and Tribute Portfolio, Hilton has Curio Collection and Hyatt has The Unbound Collection. And earlier this year, IHG rolled out yet another one: Noted Collection. It will also focus on the high-end, one-of-a-kind segment with its first hotel becoming Theobalds Estate in Hertfordshire in the English countryside.More flexibility in where and how you grow is the key for hospitality companies. What IHG has found with voco is an expedited path to more premium growth, an area in which it has focused over recent years. Its Regent brand continues to fit into the highest category hotels in the markets where they are located, like Cannes, France and Hong Kong.The Regent Carlton Cannes is one of the finest hotels in the south of France with rumors it may make an appearance in HBO's White Lotus.gettyIts namesake InterContinental brand is following a similar path with many of its hotels worldwide undergoing renovations or retrofits to better position them at the high end of the hotel market.Asked why soft brands are becoming popular for hoteliers, O’Neill points to the fact that the process is more subtle for independent hotels while making loyalty programs more attractive to consumers. The voco Ma Belle in Danang, VietnamIHG“These properties tend to be photogenic and atmospheric, making for good redemption options in loyalty programs,” he adds. “Many of the independent hotels that join these collections have interesting histories and owners who have invested in making them feel distinctive, and they can join a collection without putting a giant sign up front saying they're part of a major group.”MORE FROM FORBESForbesUse Loyalty Perks To Sleep In This Futuristic New Luxury Safari CampBy Ramsey QubeinForbesThe Best Airport Hotels For Budding Young Aviators And ‘Aviation Geeks’By Ramsey QubeinForbesFour Seasons Maldives Adds New Spa Programs And Celebrates 25th Year Of Hospitality SchoolBy Ramsey Qubein