Spotlight On: Juan Laginia, General Manager, InterContinental Houston

Key points:

• • Travel demand in Houston is balanced across leisure, business, and group segments, supporting steady hotel performance.
• • Guests increasingly expect personalized and experiential stays rather than just accommodation.
• • Houston’s medical center, cultural districts, and major venues continue to drive diverse travel demand.

March 2026 — Invest: spoke with Juan Laginia, general manager of the InterContinental Houston, about shifting traveler expectations, experiential luxury, and how Houston’s economic mix is shaping demand across leisure, business, and group segments. “Demand has been steady across leisure, business, and group travel. We are not seeing a single segment outperform while others lag. Most segments are performing well, and that balance matters because it creates a healthier, more resilient business model,” Laginia said.

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Over the past year, what changes in travel demand or guest behavior have had the greatest impact on InterContinental Houston’s performance?

This past year has been a strong but disciplined period of growth for IHG as a global company, reflecting a broader recovery and maturation across the hospitality industry. What stands out is that demand has been steady across leisure, business, and group travel. We are not seeing a single segment outperform while others lag. Most segments are performing well, and that balance matters because it creates a healthier, more resilient business model.

From a company standpoint, IHG continues to strengthen its brands and expand its global footprint. That is happening through continued development and also through new brand acquisitions that broaden our portfolio and capture new consumer preferences. We also continue to see growth in key geographies, which helps reinforce IHG’s position as one of the most global hotel companies in the world.

At the same time, industry travel experts are reporting that travel volume has returned to pre-2019 levels. The difference is in how people are traveling and what they expect. Travelers are prioritizing personalization, value, and experiential travel, and that last piece is the trend with the most momentum. It is no longer just about going to Houston, New York, Los Angeles, or Miami. It is about what you will experience while you are there.

That mindset shows up in both leisure and business travel. People want the trip to feel more intentional. They want the hotel to help shape the experience, not just provide a room. And in markets like Houston, it has been encouraging to see the resurgence of domestic travel and convention demand, which strengthens performance for properties that can serve multiple segments.

How do you scale that level of personalization for guests while operating a large, high-volume luxury property?

We are proud of the transformation we have made across several areas of the hotel to adapt to what travelers value now. We completed a renovation of the hotel lobby, our Naturalist Bar, and the Club InterContinental Lounge. We also relaunched our Mediterranean restaurant called Ayla. These investments are not just about aesthetics. They are about creating spaces that help people connect to the destination and feel like their stay has meaning.

We have also taken steps that address wellness and comfort in a more targeted way. We partnered with Pure Wellness to offer an entire floor of guest rooms designed to provide an additional layer of anti-allergenic protection. The rooms include surface treatments, additional air purification, and extra filtration in the shower system to reduce exposure to chlorine or other allergens. For guests who are sensitive to allergies, or for anyone who wants an extra level of protection while traveling, those rooms offer a meaningful option.

Another initiative is the Concierge Gallery, which is a newer feature for InterContinental hotels and something we are among the first to implement. The idea is to open up a space in the lobby that serves as a point of discovery for local culture. It helps connect guests to Houston through curated recommendations and partnerships. Guests can learn about local businesses, activities, and experiences that reflect what the city actually is, not just what a list online might suggest.

That matters because personalization is not simply giving guests more choices. It is having curated, relevant options based on who the guest is and what they are trying to do. Everyone has Google. A guest can search for a restaurant and get a recommendation. But what they do not get from a search result is context.

For example, there may be a restaurant that looks perfect online, but it does not take reservations and the line can be an hour or more. If you are traveling as a couple, you might be willing to wait. If you are traveling with two hungry kids, that is not a great plan. That kind of insight is what our team can provide.

We rely on experienced staff, including a chef concierge and a broader team of insiders, to help guests make the most of the time they have. Maybe they have one breakfast with family on a business trip. Maybe they have a narrow window before a concert or a game. Our goal is to help them have the best possible experience in the time available.

Business trips do not look the same as they did ten years ago. Guests are trying to squeeze in an extra day for leisure or carve out time for a dinner or breakfast outside the business agenda. They want something for themselves. Hotels that can help connect guests to those experiences are better positioned for where travel is going.

How does the hotel’s location near the medical center, cultural districts, and major venues influence your business mix and long-term strategy?

Location is important in hospitality. When you look at a map of Houston, we are strategically located in a way that connects guests to several key parts of the city. We are close to major shopping and business districts, and we are also positioned near the port and other regional drivers that impact travel and group movement.

Most importantly, we are in the heart of the medical center area. The Texas Medical Center is the largest medical center in the world, and the amount of activity there is constant. You have hospitals, research institutions, and educational organizations operating at scale every day. There is demand from patients and families, but there is also significant demand from the business side. The medical center is a major business district by itself, and it drives travel from researchers, healthcare executives, medical device and pharmaceutical partners, educators, and trainees.

Each hospital is linked to an educational institution, so you often see teaching partnerships and training programs that bring people to Houston for extended periods. That creates a long-stay component and a steady flow of professional travel, as well as periodic surges tied to conferences, major meetings, and medical events.

But the area is about more than medical business. Within a short distance, you also have the Museum District, major universities, Hermann Park, the Houston Zoo, and major venues like NRG Stadium, which we tie into not only by proximity but by offering unique food and beverage experiences that become an extension of their event. That means a guest can come for medical or business reasons and still have easy access to cultural and entertainment experiences. For us, that expands the business mix and supports a long-term strategy built around serving multiple guest needs at once, which is increasingly what travelers want.

How is the InterContinental continuing to evaluate sustainability and update processes accordingly?

Sustainability is no longer optional. Years ago, companies might ask about green initiatives, and it was a plus if you had them, but it was not always expected. That has changed. Today, sustainability is directly aligned with guest expectations and investor expectations. At IHG, our environmental work is guided by the Journey to Tomorrow framework, which addresses carbon reduction, water stewardship, and responsible sourcing, among other priorities. For hospitality, that means being proactive about how we operate and how we contribute to long-term goals that matter to travelers, partners, and the community.

What makes you optimistic about 2026 for IHG and the industry?

Looking ahead, IHG expects continued system growth, strong conversions, and solid performance. The hospitality industry is projecting steady growth in 2026, with luxury and experiential segments outpacing other segments. In Houston, we are well positioned for moderate but steady growth supported by business travel and major sport and entertainment events.

We are seeing that people are spending money again on experiences. In the past, someone might have thought twice about a concert or a special exhibit. Now, more travelers are choosing those moments. And when you are located near venues, museums, and cultural districts, you can support that demand in a meaningful way.

Overall, we are entering the next year with strong momentum. We have a resilient platform, and we are aligned with the evolving demands of modern travelers, particularly in high-growth markets like Texas and Houston.

Want more? Read the Invest: Houston report.