organically and not through acquisition . What was the genesis of the brand and what space does it fill ? Gilbride : We have been busy building or buying brands in recent years and are always looking to see if there is a whitespace opportunity . Are there clear swim lanes and differentiation between the brands that we have ? In Garner hotels , we saw an opportunity for guests that were looking for high-quality , valuefocused stays in the midscale space . And we didn ’ t have a conversion-friendly brand for owners that also delivers this same value . Forty percent of our signings and openings in the first half of 2023 were conversions — so there definitely is an opportunity for us to add something that fills that need .

HOTELS : Certainly , conversions are hot , especially with interest rates where they currently are .

Why are conversions the best mode of development for owners right now and how do they help IHG expand its footprint quicker ? Gilbride : Conversion means there ’ s already an asset in place , along with owners who want to generate a higher return on the asset . By plugging these owners either newly or more deeply into our systems and channels , we believe we can deliver a higher contribution than some of the brands that they ’ re currently with . We ’ re taking a thoughtful approach with Garner hotels . We must make sure that the first hotels and the first experiences people have create the mindset of what a Garner hotel is . We have our teams engaging directly with owners , and we are visiting every hotel and developing property improvement plans .

HOTELS : How much work and money will a hotel need to invest to convert to a Garner ?

Karen Gilbride , VP , avid hotels , Atwell Suites and Garner hotels , IHG

Gilbride : The amount of investment will vary property to property and we will take a bespoke improvement approach rather than a “ one size fits all ” for Garner hotels . Some will need a full renovation or a new guestroom or public space design . Others that have just

recently renovated in the past couple of years can work along a faster timeline and would only need new interior and exterior signage and the hallmarks of the brand that make us different — for example , our breakfast experience , arrival moments and bulk amenities .

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