Medianews4u.com on the ocassion of International Women’s Day caught up with Bhavna Mishra Nanda, Portfolio Director of Marketing – Holiday Inn Express- (An IHG Hotel)
Holiday Inn Express is IHG’s largest and fastest-growing brand, removing barriers to travel. The brand champions simple, smart travel and was created in 1991 to challenge convention in the travel industry.
The brand caters to smart, savvy travellers who are on the move and two steps ahead who need a hotel to serve as a no-fuss basecamp where they can rest, relax and recharge before making their next connection. Holiday Inn Express is committed to delivering more where it matters most through a consistent experience, thoughtful design and value-rich essentials.
Q. How will women shape the hospitality industry in 2026? What trends are expected to be seen?
Women will be key players in defining hospitality in 2026, both as consumers of hospitality services and as leaders within the hospitality industry. Female consumers of hospitality services today are highly informed, digital, and experience-focussed. They are defining the way hospitality brands approach aspects such as safety, convenience, personalization, and efficiency.
We can expect the trend of increasing solo female travel, women-led business travel, and women taking short leisure breaks that focus on convenience, comfort, and reliability to continue. Women are increasingly involved in decision-making for family travel, which means their focus on aspects such as hygiene, smart services, and digital engagement will be key influencers of standards within the hospitality industry.
In terms of leadership, women professionals within the hospitality industry are defining the way hospitality brands approach their guests, thanks to their unique ability to understand both service delivery and customer behaviour, which is helping hospitality brands create experiences that are intuitive, efficient, and emotive for their customers.
Q. The hospitality industry is undergoing a shift blending comfort, technology and value. How is Holiday Inn Express leading this change and what role are female employees playing?
At Holiday Inn Express, our focus is always on delivering a stay that is simple, smart, and reliable. And today’s travelers are looking for a stay that is comfortable, convenient, and affordable. We are continuing to innovate and adapt to meet these evolving needs.
Technology is helping us make travelers’ journeys even simpler. We’re using technology to speed up check-ins, make booking simpler, and design our service to make a stay even more convenient. And we’re ensuring that the warmth and hospitality that are hallmarks of a stay in a hotel remain an important part of the experience.
Women in our hotels and across our corporate teams are an important part of shaping these experiences. Their insights are helping us better understand our guests’ needs and deliver service that meets their expectations.
Q. What marketing activities and campaigns is Holiday Inn Express doing on the occasion of International Women’s Day and for the rest of 2026 to target women?
International Women’s Day also gives us a chance to celebrate the contributions of women in our hotels as well as the hospitality industry as a whole. The initiatives that we have planned for 2026 revolve around celebrating women in the organization, celebrating their journey, as well as conversations around growth and leadership.
In terms of the overall marketing strategy, the focus in 2026 will continue to be around delivering experiences that resonate with the modern women traveller, telling stories around women travellers, as well as engaging the communities where women share their inspiration and tips around travelling.
Q. Will the message of safety be important in the marketing campaigns done to target women?
Safety is not just something that you incorporate into your campaign. It’s something that you have to have as part of what travelers expect out of your hospitality brand. In particular, female travelers appreciate safety.
What we’re really focussing on here is making sure that safety becomes part of the entire guest experience rather than something that you have to communicate to your guests in isolation.
Q. How are hospitality brands evolving marketing strategies to engage female digital-first travellers, especially millennials and Gen Z?
Millennials and Generation Z, who form the new wave of travellers, heavily depend on digital discovery for their travel planning.
For instance, to connect and engage with these groups of digital natives, hospitality brands have to adopt storytelling, rich media, and community-driven engagement. For women, stories of actual travel experiences, comfort, and reliability have strong potential.
The aim of this approach is to move away from traditional advertising and create digital conversations to inspire and build confidence.
Q. What role do influencer marketing and digital storytelling play in building trust and visibility among women?
Influencer marketing and digital storytelling have emerged as significant marketing tools for the hospitality industry, given the fact that people relate more to experiences that are genuine and shared by people they can identify with.
For women who travel, relatable travel stories, reviews, and experiences have the power to influence their decisions. By influencers sharing genuine experiences related to comfort, safety, etc., it increases the visibility of the brands.
Q. Has Holiday Inn Express explored partnerships with female content creators or micro influencers?
Collaborations with creators play an essential role in contemporary marketing strategies. Collaborating with female content creators or micro influencers can enable hospitality brands to connect with the micro travel community in an appropriate manner.
This can help the brands showcase the experiences of the guests while offering the audience an opportunity to gain insight from the perspectives of the creators on matters of comfort, convenience, or efficiency.
Q. What tactics will Holiday Inn Express adopt in terms of customer acquisition and sharper brand positioning? Will tactics be different for women?
Our customer acquisition model is centered on improving brand awareness, digital discoverability, and ensuring that our guests are able to understand the value that we are providing at Holiday Inn Express.
While the basic product is the same for all travelers, understanding the female traveler allows us to place greater emphasis on those factors that are important to them, such as reliability, comfort, and service. The idea is not to provide a different product, but to make sure that our brand message appeals to different segments of travellers.
Q. Do modern women business and leisure travellers value efficiency, cleanliness and smart service more compared to pre COVID?
Yes, these expectations have become even more important in the post-pandemic travel environment. The modern-day traveler expects reliability, hygiene, and efficiency in their choices of where to stay.
Women travellers especially appreciate the hotels that provide them with quick and smooth experiences, clean and well-maintained facilities, and services that make their travel stress-free. Smart services have become a key differentiator in the industry.
Q. To what extent does the whitespace for growth in 2026 lie in solo female travellers and female only groups?
Solo female travel, as well as women-only travel groups, offer a new opportunity for the hospitality industry to grow. In the modern world, women are traveling solo for both business and pleasure, and many of them are also looking to explore the world of travelling communities where they can meet other women travelers.
For the hospitality industry, it is an opportunity to create experiences that offer trust, comfort, and reliability, as well as simplicity in traveling.
Q. How will offering “more with less” help target women more effectively?
Today’s travellers seek brands that offer value in meaningful ways without unnecessary complexity. The concept of delivering ‘more’ through ‘less’ is all about delivering the basics that really make a difference to the guest experience.
For many female travellers, the basic needs of a comfortable room, good service, seamless connectivity, and thoughtful amenities that make the journey easier are what really matter. By delivering on the basics, brands can create experiences that simply work well.
Q. How are hospitality brands leveraging data and technology to personalise experiences for women?
Data and technology enable hospitality brands to understand their customers’ preferences and create experiences that feel more personal to them. This could include anything from booking habits to how they prefer to be served.
Personalisation could include anything from offers and loyalty programme benefits to digital communication that is more relevant to customers and enhances their experience as a traveller.
Q. Can you share any loyalty programme insights targeting women and what can we expect in 2026?
Loyalty programmes are becoming increasingly experience driven. Today’s travellers are not just looking for rewards but also meaningful benefits that enhance their travel journeys.
At Holiday Inn Express, our loyalty ecosystem continues to evolve to provide members with benefits, flexible redemption options and curated experiences that resonate with modern travellers. As we move through 2026, the focus will remain on strengthening long term guest relationships and encourage repeat stays.
