voco Focuses on Low-carbon Lifestyle, Sustainable Fashion is Full of Fun

Published on December 29, 2021, 15:15. China’s dual carbon initiative drives environmental ent[...]

Published on December 29, 2021, 15:15. China’s dual carbon initiative drives environmental enthusiasm, and InterContinental leads the hotel industry towards a green future.

On December 29, 2021, in Shanghai, China —— Looking back at 2021, it can be considered the inaugural year for China’s carbon neutrality actions. ‘Dual Carbon’ and ‘Carbon Peak and Carbon Neutrality’ were the buzzwords of the year, rising to a national strategy. Creating a sustainable lifestyle has become a solemn commitment to building a community with a shared future for mankind. All sectors of society are injecting momentum into the advancement of global ecological civilization.

InterContinental’s voco hotels are also practitioners of green travel methods. The brand has carried out a series of cross-industry cooperation between environmental protection and art with the theme of ‘Fun Rebirth’, interpreting the sustainable fashion of the hotel industry and calling on more guests to participate.

“As a leading global hotel group, InterContinental Hotels Group has been continuously paying attention to the concept of sustainable development. This is also the inherent brand gene of the voco brand. Especially for the transformation of existing projects, we need to adhere to this starting point in order to give the project more long-term development and rejuvenate new vitality. voco integrates the green, energy-saving, low-carbon and environmentally friendly lifestyle attitude into travel in a fun way, subtly calling on guests to become practitioners of sustainable lifestyles and promoting harmonious coexistence between humans and nature.”, said Hu Yingchun, Chief Marketing Officer of InterContinental Hotels Group Greater China.

The voco brand insists on starting from the details and advocates a sustainable lifestyle attitude with practical actions. To reduce the harm of plastic products to the environment, the bedding in hotel rooms is made of 100% recyclable plastic bottles through unique spinning and blowing methods. Large-sized bathroom products are used to reduce plastic waste, and degradable takeaway coffee cups are used to replace traditional cups to further reduce the impact on the environment. In addition, the pressurized shower head used in the bathroom not only ensures guests’ high-quality bathing experience but also achieves the purpose of reducing water consumption and reducing hot water energy consumption. The ‘green and environmentally friendly ingredients’ in bath products are extracted from sustainable or renewable plant-based raw materials, and their extraction will not have a negative impact on the ecosystem.

‘Fun Reborn’ art cross-border cooperation advocates a sustainable fashion attitude. Adhering to the fun brand gene, voco uses artworks and decorations and other fashionable ways to encourage guests to actively embrace an environmentally friendly life. Many brand derivatives designed by voco are very popular among hotel guests. The environmentally friendly bags, fashion throw pillows, sleep eye masks, keychains and mugs with the brand mascots finches, flamingos and owls as themes are full of creativity. voco also held a series of art cross-border cooperation and environmental protection creative activities under the theme of ‘Fun Reborn’, and jointly used waste items visible everywhere in life with fiber artists to create new artworks. While inviting guests to experience the fun of hands-on activities, they can further understand the green lifestyle. In addition, this theme activity also transmits the environmental protection concept of sustainable development to more consumers through social media and other means, making the green, environmentally friendly and low-carbon lifestyle a new fashion.

‘Welcome with Joy’ new store opening, actively expanding the brand’s new territory. Since the brand was launched in 2018, voco’s flexible and diverse project cooperation model, especially for the rejuvenation of properties for rebranding and renovation, not only promotes the upgrading and development of properties but also quickly gains the recognition of owners with the concept of sustainable development.InterContinental Hotels Group, recognized as the world’s leading hotel group, is deeply committed to the concept of sustainable development, a principle that is also integral to the brand DNA of voco. Hu Chunyun, Chief Marketing Officer of InterContinental Hotels Group Greater China, emphasized the importance of adhering to this principle, especially in the transformation of existing projects, to ensure long-term development and rejuvenation.

voco infuses the principles of green, energy-saving, low-carbon, and environmentally friendly living into travel in an engaging manner. The brand subtly encourages guests to embrace a sustainable lifestyle and promotes harmony between humans and nature. voco starts with the details, advocating for a sustainable lifestyle through practical actions. For instance, the bedding in hotel rooms is crafted from 100% recyclable plastic bottles using a unique spinning and blowing method, reducing the environmental impact of plastic products.

The brand also reduces plastic waste by using large bottles for bathroom products and replacing traditional cups with degradable take-out coffee cups. Additionally, pressure showerheads in the bathrooms ensure a high-quality bathing experience while conserving water and reducing hot water energy consumption. Bath products are made with ‘green environmental protection ingredients’ derived from sustainable or renewable plant-based materials, ensuring no negative impact on the ecosystem.

voco champions a sustainable fashion attitude through its ‘Fun Rebirth’ art crossover initiative. The brand encourages guests to embrace an eco-friendly lifestyle through artistic works and decorative fashion methods. Many voco-designed products, such as environmentally friendly bags, fashionable pillows, sleep masks, keychains, and mugs featuring the brand’s mascots—swallows, flamingos, and owls—are highly popular among hotel guests.

voco has also engaged in a series of art crossover cooperation and environmental protection creative activities under the ‘Fun Rebirth’ theme, collaborating with fiber artists to create new artistic works from everyday waste, inviting guests to participate in the fun of creating while understanding the green lifestyle.

The brand further conveys the concepts of sustainable development and environmental protection to more consumers through social media and other channels, making green, low-carbon lifestyles the new trend. Under the ‘Joyful Welcome’ initiative, voco actively expands its brand’s reach. Since its launch in 2018, voco’s flexible and diverse project cooperation models, especially for property renovations and refits, have not only promoted property upgrades but also quickly gained recognition for its sustainable development philosophy.

Currently, voco has opened and signed more than 50 hotels worldwide, with four new voco hotels opening in Greater China this year, located in Nanjing, Wuhan, Thousand Islands Lake, and Xi’an. The voco Thousand Islands Lake Sunshine Hotel, situated on an island by the picturesque Thousand Islands Lake, blends modern facilities with the brand’s mascot and abstract art pieces, harmoniously integrating with the hotel’s Hui-style architecture and the spirit of Thousand Islands Lake.

The voco Xi’an Economic Development Zone Hotel and the voco Wuhan Xinhua Hotel both opened in December. The former is located on the central axis of the ancient cultural city, surrounded by bustling business districts, allowing guests to enjoy the city’s sports parks and experience the coexistence of prosperity and ecology. The latter, located in Hankou’s financial center, underwent a 17-month transformation and upgrade, skillfully integrating voco brand elements while retaining the original hotel’s name and logo.

In the first quarter of 2022, voco will unveil its second hotel in Nanjing, the voco Nanjing Garden Expo Hotel. As the first newly built hotel in Greater China, it relies on the overall design of the Garden Expo Park, fully demonstrating the brand’s characteristics of environmental protection, art, and fun in both planning and brand personality services. This marks a new step for the voco brand in Greater China, continuing to develop steadily with a more diverse project portfolio.

InterContinental Hotels Group is committed to creating ‘responsible travel’ for the future and has launched the ‘Journey to Tomorrow’ initiative globally earlier this year, supporting its positive impact on employees, communities, and the planet through a series of clear and visionary new commitments to sustainable development.
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In the future, InterContinental Hotels Group will continue to promote the concept of sustainable development, practice energy conservation, emission reduction, and environmental protection. We aim to lead the public to jointly pay attention to environmental protection and feel the diverse charm brought by the integration of interesting life and environmental protection measures.

About the voco brand:
The voco brand combines the brand guarantee of international chain hotels with the individual charm of independent hotels to create a trustworthy high-end experience for guests. The name “voco” comes from Latin and means “invite” and “gather,” representing the brand’s caring, reliable, and interesting personality traits. From luxurious bathroom supplies to high-quality comfortable bedding, the meticulously crafted hotels of voco permeate a sense of luxury in every unforgettable moment. From the moment of check-in, guests can feel the warm welcome like being at home. The staff treats guests like hosts and carefully understands the guests’ preferences for staying. The comfortable guest rooms are very suitable for relaxation, and guests can enjoy a highly textured time alone. The vibrant lounges and restaurants in the hotel allow guests to enjoy life and create rich and diverse social experiences and unforgettable memories all day long.

About InterContinental Hotels Group:
InterContinental Hotels Group [London Stock Exchange: IHG, New York Stock Exchange: IHG (ADRs)] is a leading global international hotel group with the corporate mission of “doing good and treating guests with sincerity.” InterContinental Hotels Group currently has 17 brands and operates one of the largest hotel loyalty customer programs in the world – IHG One Rewards. Nearly 6,000 hotels of InterContinental Hotels Group are located in more than 100 countries and regions around the world, and there are about 1,800 hotels under construction. The brand family of InterContinental Hotels Group includes:

– Luxury and Boutique: Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas, Regent Hotels & Resorts, InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, Vignette Collection, Hotel Indigo.
– Premium: HUALUXE Hotels and Resorts, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, EVEN Hotels, voco.
– Quality: Holiday Inn Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn Express, avid hotels.
– Extended Stay: Atwell Suites, Staybridge Suites, Holiday Inn Club Vacations, Candlewood Suites.

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the holding company of the group. It is established in the UK and registered in England and Wales respectively. InterContinental Hotels Group has approximately 350,000 employees worldwide, working in hotels and group offices around the world.

Welcome to obtain hotel and reservation information online, or to learn more about IHG’s Priority Club Rewards. Visit InterContinental Hotels Group’s global news page to get the latest corporate updates, or follow our official WeChat public account: IHG View (ID: ihgview).

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