ATLANTA — When it comes to hotel conversion opportunities, IHG Hotels & Resorts "is on the move as an organization," said Mark Sergot, recently appointed chief development officer for the Americas region.
"We spent the last 10 years or so really fine-tuning a lot of the areas that are critical to the ownership community," he said in a video interview at the 2026 Hunter Conference.
Sergot, who's been in his role since January, said IHG's conversion-focused hotel brands — specifically Garner, Ruby and Voco — are seeing outsize growth opportunities. And all three are growing in America.
"Fifty percent or so of our signings last year were in this conversion space," he said. "Some of those converting within 30 to 60 days, some of them a little bit longer. But there is an appetite within the development and ownership community."
The addition and growth of these brands merges well with IHG's legacy brands, such as Holiday Inn Express and Staybridge Suites, to round out its portfolio of brand options for both travelers and hotel owners.
"We've got a brand for really every travel occasion and a brand for really every ownership group," he said. "Depending on what they're looking for in what market, we think we have a need or an opportunity for them to fulfill those needs."
Despite some of the macroeconomic headwinds the U.S. hotel industry continues to face, Sergot said he's optimistic about the year considering how strong it has started. First-quarter business travel has been good and he's betting on that continuing.
"The lessons, more broadly, when we've had economic concerns, higher interest rates, tariffs, et cetera, is that business has to continue, and our partners have plans, and we want to be an important part of that success," he said.
For more from IHG Hotels & Resorts' Mark Sergot, watch the video or listen to the podcast embedded above.