IHG and Live Nation link hotel stays with concert experiences in Greater China - Get updated on what's happening in tourism!

IHG Hotels & Resorts is expanding its loyalty offering beyond conventional hotel benefits through a new partnership with Live Nation Asia in Greater China. The cooperation will combine selected concerts with stays at IHG properties and provide IHG One Rewards members with access to ticket giveaways and other promotions.

The initial travel experiences will focus on Hong Kong and Taiwan. Both new and existing members will be eligible for selected offers, which will be promoted through IHG One Rewards platforms and social media channels.

The partnership reflects a broader development in tourism in which concerts and other major entertainment events increasingly generate travel demand of their own. For hotel groups, these trips offer an opportunity to connect accommodation with experiences that are often the primary reason for choosing a destination.

Concert tourism becomes part of the loyalty strategy

IHG sees live entertainment as an increasingly important travel motivator, particularly among consumers who are willing to travel between cities or across borders to see specific artists.

“Live entertainment is becoming an increasingly important reason to travel, as consumers seek experiences that feel personal, emotional and memorable,” said Rita Jiang, Chief Commercial & Marketing Officer, Greater China at IHG Hotels & Resorts.

The partnership is designed to connect the concert visit with the wider trip. “Partnering with Live Nation Asia across the Greater China region allows us to bridge live entertainment and hospitality and loyalty, offering our members seamless access to performances, destination exploration, and exclusive benefits in Hong Kong and Taiwan,” Jiang said.

For destinations and hotels, concert-driven travel can generate demand extending beyond the event venue itself, including overnight stays, restaurants, transport and other tourism services.

Fans increasingly travel across borders for concerts

Live Nation Asia is observing the same trend among concert audiences. “More fans in Asia are choosing to travel to experience their favourite artists live, whether that means visiting a new city or travelling across borders,” said James Dick, Executive Vice President, Partnerships & Media at Live Nation Asia.

According to Dick, the trip increasingly forms part of the overall concert experience. “For these fans, the experience extends beyond the show itself — it’s about the journey to the destination, where they stay and the memories they create along the way.”

The cooperation with IHG is intended to bring these components together through accommodation and entertainment offers for loyalty programme members.

IHG expands benefits beyond hotel stays

The Live Nation partnership forms part of IHG's broader effort to expand IHG One Rewards into travel, entertainment and lifestyle services. The programme has more than 160 million members worldwide.

In Greater China, IHG has previously worked with the King Pro League and integrated its loyalty offering with Douyin's membership programme. The cooperation with Live Nation adds live music and concert travel to this strategy.

For IHG, such partnerships provide another way to encourage members to book within its hotel portfolio while offering benefits that are not directly tied to room upgrades or conventional loyalty points. For travelers, the combination of accommodation and access to selected entertainment events turns the loyalty programme increasingly into a platform for complete travel experiences.

Image Credit: © IHG