The Eye on Taiwan news media

Formosa International Hotels Corporation (FIH) has announced that it has entered a joint venture agreement with the InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) to accelerate the international expansion of Regent Hotels & Resorts (Regent).

Under this agreement, IHG will take a controlling stake in Regent, according to the corporation.

All current Regent properties will join IHG’s global online reservation system and loyalty program, accelerating the growth of both sales and profits, it noted.

Also, IHG will have the rights to develop and manage all existing and new Regent hotels outside of Taiwan whilst FIH shall retain exclusive rights to develop and manage future developments under the Regent brand in Taiwan, including the management of the Regent Taipei Hotel, it said.

Synonymous with timeless modernity, understated luxury and intuitive service, the Regent brand has set the benchmark for luxury hotels globally since it was founded in 1970 by legendary hotelier Robert H. Burns.

It has a world-renowned heritage, built around the elegant, timeless design of its hotels and rooted in its focus on delivering a truly unique and superior luxury experience for guests, according to FIH.

FIH and IHG both see the growing potential of the luxury hotel market and the opportunity to collaborate to take the Regent brand legacy to greater heights, it said.

As part of the alliance with IHG would be the re-branding of the InterContinental Hotel Hong Kong to Regent Hong Kong, an iconic Regent Hotel that established the brand as new luxury in 1980s, upon the completion of an extensive refurbishment in 2021.

The return of Regent Hong Kong will create a new iconic flagship and showcase for global expansion like it once did.

“Regent is an iconic global luxury brand with a longstanding history in delivering a flawless luxury experience for guests,” said Steven Pan, executive chairman of FIH.

The joint venture with IHG, one of the largest and most respectable hotel management companies, will propel the Regent brand to worldwide reach on a well-established global platform, he said.

“The alliance will enable us to streamline our growth of the Regent brand into a much more profitable business, while we can focus on the growth and consolidation of our Taiwan domestic hotel and hospitality businesses, including the Regent Taipei and the Regent brand expansion in Taiwan,” Pan said.

“IHG shares and can deliver on our ambitious vision for the brand. This alliance not only creates a win-win solution for IHG and FIH, but also for our partners, associates, loyal customers and all stakeholders,” he stressed.

Keith Barr, chief executive officer of IHG, said IHG is already one of the world leaders in luxury with our InterContinental Hotels and Resorts brand.

“But we see significant potential to further develop our global footprint in the fast-growing luxury segment,” Barr said, adding as one of the pioneers in defining luxury hotels both in Asia and around the world, Regent is an excellent addition to IHG’s portfolio of brands.

“We see a real opportunity to unlock Regent’s enormous potential and accelerate its growth globally,” Barr noted.