IHG Hotels & Resorts Launches AI Conversational Search Across its Digital Channels, Transforming the Guest Experience

Beta launch begins in the US on IHG.com and the IHG One Rewards mobile app

ATLANTA, July 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- IHG Hotels & Resorts (IHG), one of the world's leading hospitality companies, today announces the beta launch of AI-powered conversational search on IHG.com and the IHG One Rewards mobile app, marking a new chapter in the evolution of the travel discovery experience.

The new conversational search functionality brings intuitive, customized trip planning directly into IHG's digital channels, making it easier and faster than ever for guests to move seamlessly from inspiration and discovery to booking one of more than 7,000 hotels globally. At the same time, it allows hotel owners to increase their property visibility in AI searches and connect travelers with more of what they truly want. The beta launch is a scaled approach, starting in the US before expanding to users across multiple markets, with IHG continuing to refine the experience based on user behavior and feedback.

A More Intuitive Way to Discover and Book
Travelers searching on IHG.com and the award-winning IHG One Rewards app can now describe their travel needs using everyday language to better explore all that IHG has to offer. Prompts such as destination, trip purpose, preferences and amenities can serve up tailored hotel recommendations and rich content including interactive maps, real-time availability, pricing and detailed property information. In addition to cash rates, travelers will have the ability to shop in points or a combination of points and cash.

Recommendations are grounded in IHG's verified property data and guest reviews for reliable details, photos and amenity information. During the beta, users will also continue to see IHG's existing search functionality alongside the option for AI search, allowing choice in how travelers find their right stay.

Elie Maalouf, Chief Executive Officer, IHG Hotels & Resorts, said: "Launching conversational search in IHG's digital channels transforms how guests interact with IHG and discover our incredible collection of hotels around the world. It's a milestone that builds on years of strategic investment in our digital foundations, including the unification of our data in the cloud and the continued evolution of our best-in-class technology platforms. With these capabilities in place, and more to follow, we are very well positioned to harness the power of AI at scale and deliver rich, inspiring and seamless travel experiences that delight our guests and deliver benefits to our hotel owners."

Future Ready
To help IHG hotels become more AI-search ready, a new AI-optimized hotel content platform will roll out over the next several months, making it easier for hotels to upload rich, detailed information and improve how their properties are discovered. The platform will support new content such as floor plans, videos and updated imagery that reflect how travelers search today. Whether through IHG or third-party digital channels, hotels will be able to better showcase their unique attributes and improve how they are matched to travelers seeking specific experiences and amenities.

The addition of conversational search on IHG's booking channels follows the recent launch of an IHG app in ChatGPT and will be supported by further significant developments this year. These latest technology advancements are part of a broader AI strategy to enrich how travelers discover and engage with IHG.

Looking ahead, IHG is working to add new features such as more personalized search experiences and agentic booking capabilities – unlocking opportunities to deepen guest personalization and loyalty. To support these efforts, IHG is working with several thought leaders and technology partners in the space to transform the guest experience.

About IHG^®

IHG Hotels & Resorts (tickers: LON:IHG for Ordinary Shares; NYSE:IHG for ADRs) is a global hospitality company, with a purpose to provide True Hospitality for Good.

With a family of 21 hotel brands and IHG One Rewards, one of the world's largest hotel loyalty programmes with over 160 million members, IHG has more than one million rooms across 7,000 hotels in over 100 countries, and a development pipeline of a further 2,300 properties.

• Luxury & Lifestyle: Six Senses, Regent, InterContinental, Vignette Collection, Kimpton, Hotel Indigo
• Premium: Noted Collection, voco, Ruby, HUALUXE, Crowne Plaza, EVEN
• Essentials: Holiday Inn Express, Holiday Inn Hotels & Resorts, Garner, avid
• Suites: Atwell Suites, Staybridge Suites, Holiday Inn Club Vacations, Candlewood Suites
• Exclusive Partners: Iberostar Beachfront Resorts

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the Group's holding company and is incorporated and registered in England and Wales. Approximately 400,000 people work across IHG's hotels and corporate offices globally.

Visit us online for more about our hotels and reservations and IHG One Rewards. To download the IHG One Rewards app, visit the Apple App or Google Play stores.

For our latest news, visit our Newsroom and follow us on LinkedIn.

SOURCE IHG Hotels & Resorts