InterContinental Hotels Group has opened the Holiday Inn Express Taichung Park in Taiwan's third largest city.

IHG introduced the brand to Taiwan in April 2008. It opened the first Holiday Inn Express at Taoyuan, which is located near the international airport and 30 minutes away from downtown Taipei, in September. Both Holiday Inn Express hotels in Taoyuan and Taichung are the first international branded hotels in their respective locations.

Gary Rosen, senior vice president for sales and marketing at IHG Asia Pacific, stated that Holiday Inn Express is one of the fastest growing hotel brands in the industry, opening on average, two hotels a week somewhere in the world. He added that the two new hotels further strengthen IHG's consumer offering in Taiwan.

Rosen also said that Holiday Inn Express appeals to guests who pride themselves as independent travelers.

IHG says that it sees significant potential in the hotel industry in Taiwan, since the island is becoming increasingly connected to other parts of the globe. More importantly, increasing number of visitors from mainland China are traveling to the territory and adding to the visitor arrivals.

(China Hospitality News November 10, 2008)