INTERCONTINENTAL HOTELS & RESORTS LAUNCHES FIRST NFT COLLECTION IN COLLABORATION WITH BRITISH CONTEMPORARY ARTIST CLAIRE LUXTON

InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, part of IHG Hotels & Resorts' Luxury & Lifestyle Collection, has created 10 exclusive NFTs [non-fungible tokens] in collaboration with British contemporary artist Claire Luxton.

A joint first for both, each NFT is inspired by the beauty of global travel using the natural flora and fauna signature to Luxton's work to illustrate the InterContinental brand's storied heritage and far-flung destinations.

The NFTs feature artwork created especially for the brand. Motifs have been brought to life as an animation in a virtual NFT gallery, including the blue and yellow macaw, representing the first InterContinental hotel in Belém, Brazil, and the panther chameleon, spotlighting InterContinental Mauritius on Balaclava Bay.

Members of IHG One Rewards can use their points to exclusively bid on a selection of the NFTs on the IHG One Rewards experiences auction platform until December 9. Receipts will be granted ownership of an NFT featuring a 1-of-10 custom artwork from Claire Luxton, a one-night stay at InterContinental Rome Ambasciatori Palace opening in 2023, and InterContinental Ambassador status for one year.

Click the link to explore and learn more about the collection.

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THE GALLERY

Click below to explore the InterContinental x Claire Luxton NFTs and watch the artworks come to life. Keep up-to-date and immerse yourself in the partnership via the IHG Newsroom and on our social channels including Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

PURPOSE

This is the third installment of InterContinental Hotels & Resorts' ongoing collaboration with Claire Luxton.

Aspiring to push boundaries while embracing a bright new chapter as the world's luxury hospitality leader, this exclusive digital art collection celebrates the InterContinental brand's pioneering, modern and worldly spirit.

FAQs

  • What is an NFT?

      An NFT, or non-fungible token, is a decentralised digital ledger, a unique identifier that provides a certificate of ownership of digital materials. So far these tokens have been utilised to make digital art, limited-edition collectibles, fashion and music into one-of-a-kind, verifiable assets that can be easily traded using blockchain technology.

  • Why did Claire Luxton get involved in the project?

      InterContinental Hotels & Resorts sought to expand its collaboration with Claire, and commissioned her to produce this first-ever series of NFTs.

      The project has allowed Luxton to transform her campaign artwork into a collection of contemporary digital art; a memento of the elegance of worldly travel - a theme that has continued to be at the heart of the partnership with InterContinental.

      Giving guests of InterContinental and viewers of her work the opportunity to experience the art in a new way, the collection aims to allow people to collect her art digitally, something that hasn’t been done before now, and bring a new wave of art appreciators into the InterContinental fold.

  • What am I entitled to now that I've been allocated a Claire Luxton x IHG NFT?

      Receipts will be granted ownership of an NFT featuring a 1-of-10 custom artwork from Claire Luxton, a one-night stay at InterContinental Rome Ambasciatori Palace opening in 2023, and InterContinental Ambassador status for one year.

  • How long will my rights to the InterContinental Ambassador status last for?

      Whilst rights to InterContinental Ambassador status will last for 12 months, ownership of the NFT is permanent - allowing access to all NFT trading rights. Please note that ownership of an NFT is ownership of a digital asset and does not constitute ownership in copyright to the underlying artwork.

  • How long will my rights to my NFT last for?

      Ownership of the NFT is permanent, unless the NFT is traded. While the NFT retains its value as a piece of digital art, only the primary owner of the NFT will be able to redeem the travel benefits. Please note that ownership of an NFT is ownership of a digital asset and does not constitute ownership in copyright to the underlying artwork.

  • When can I trade my NFT?

      Trading of the NFT is locked for one year until the InterContinental Ambassador status benefits expire, at which point it becomes a piece of collectible art.

  • Why are InterContinental Hotels & Resorts launching this project now?

      NFTs have become increasingly relevant to how the public makes transactions and experiences benefits in recent years. The Global Report, published by Capgemini, found that digital assets are becoming an essential part of investment portfolios among HNWIs, with 71% stating they had already invested money in cryptocurrency and NFTs. When looking at under-40s, that proportion rose to 91%. This trend echoes the desires and behaviours of the InterContinental guest, who appreciates cultural discovery and knowledge combined with personalised experiences that excite curiosity and broaden the mind, much like the technological innovation NFTs demonstrate.

      For reference:
      There are several notable names in the tech and art worlds who take this stance too. For example, artist Damien Hirst announced a year ago he was hatching a plan to “challenge the concept of value through money and art,” forcing buyers of his NFT project “The Currency” to decide between owning the physical artwork or the digital token connected to it. The results urged him to remain all-in on the matter and “show [his] 100 percent support and confidence in the NFT world.”

  • Does this signal a broader change in processes InterContinental Hotels & Resorts?

      For the short term, the exclusive travel benefits and enhanced recognition selected NFT recipients will receive as part of this program complements IHG's renewed investment in its industry leading IHG One Rewards loyalty programme, which debuted earlier this year.