voco Muar Signing Ceremony
(IN SHORT) IHG Hotels & Resorts has signed voco Muar, a 107-room hotel that will become the first international-branded hotel in the Johor riverside town of Muar, Malaysia. The project is being developed with KCC Hotel (Muar) Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of KCC Holdings Group, and is already in an advanced stage of construction, with opening planned for later this year. Located within KCC City Business Park, the hotel will target both leisure travellers drawn to Muar’s heritage, riverside setting and cuisine, and business travellers connected to the town’s manufacturing economy. The signing strengthens the growth of voco hotels, IHG’s fastest-growing premium brand, and will make voco Muar the brand’s second hotel in Malaysia after its debut in Kuching.
(PRESS RELEASE) MUAR, Malaysia, 2026-Aug-6 — /Travel PR News/ — IHG Hotels & Resorts has announced the signing of voco Muar, marking the company’s first hotel in the Johor riverside town and introducing the destination’s first international-branded hotel.
The 107-room property is being developed in partnership with KCC Hotel (Muar) Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Malaysian real estate developer KCC Holdings Group.
The hotel is already in an advanced stage of construction, with interior design works underway, and is scheduled to open later this year.
voco Muar will be located within KCC City Business Park, which is owned and developed by KCC Holdings Group.
The hotel is expected to serve both leisure and business travellers.
For leisure guests, Muar offers cultural heritage, historical landmarks, a scenic riverside setting and well-known local cuisine.
The town is also one of Malaysia’s key manufacturing hubs, creating demand from domestic and regional business travellers.
voco Muar_Bathroom (Rendering)
The signing expands the presence of voco hotels, IHG’s fastest-growing premium brand.
Known for individual character, thoughtful design and a warm, welcoming service style, voco hotels combines a premium guest experience with the reliability of international operational and brand standards.
IHG said the brand is well suited to its first-mover strategy in Malaysia, particularly as the company seeks growth opportunities in high-potential destinations beyond major gateway cities.
The signing of voco Muar builds on IHG’s growing presence in Malaysian destinations including Kuching, Kota Kinabalu, Penang and Kuantan.
Vivek Bhalla, Managing Director, South East Asia & Korea at IHG, said the signing of voco Muar is an important step in the company’s strategy to expand into Malaysia’s high-growth secondary and tertiary markets.
He said travel demand is increasingly extending beyond primary gateway cities, creating opportunities in destinations such as Muar, where cultural heritage, economic activity and leisure attractions combine to form a vibrant market.
Bhalla added that voco hotels is well matched to Muar because the brand brings together individual charm, strong commercial performance and broad guest appeal.
He said IHG is pleased to partner with KCC Holdings to introduce a hotel experience that will be thoughtful and distinctive when voco Muar opens later this year.
Ker Soon Yong, Executive Director of KCC Hotel (Muar) Sdn Bhd, said the company is proud to partner with IHG to introduce the first international-branded hotel in Muar.
He said the hotel’s location within KCC City Business Park will help elevate the local hospitality offering and support both business and leisure travel.
Ker added that the timing is right to bring world-class hospitality to Muar while reflecting the town’s unique character.
He said the voco brand is recognised for combining the reliability of an international hotel with the warmth, individuality and local identity increasingly sought by guests.
With IHG’s global expertise and voco’s distinctive guest experience, KCC Hotel expects the property to become a market-leading destination after opening.
voco Muar will include food and beverage outlets, meeting and function spaces, an infinity pool, a gym and a grand ballroom.
The property is positioned as a premium lifestyle destination in Muar and is located approximately 40 minutes by car from Malacca.
The signing adds to the global momentum of voco hotels, which now has 137 open hotels worldwide.
Recent regional additions include voco Bangkok Surawong, voco Bandung Setiabudi and voco Scenia Bay Nha Trang.
In Malaysia, voco Muar will become IHG’s second voco hotel, following the brand’s country debut in Kuching, which opened in June.
IHG continues to expand across Malaysia and now has 13 open hotels in the country, with eight more in the pipeline.
Upcoming launches include the planned debut of Regent and Vignette Collection in the Malaysian market.
Through the signing of voco Muar, IHG is strengthening its premium hotel portfolio in Malaysia while extending international-branded hospitality into a growing secondary destination with both cultural appeal and business travel demand.
About IHG®
IHG Hotels & Resorts (tickers: LON:IHG for Ordinary Shares; NYSE:IHG for ADRs) is a global hospitality company, with a purpose to provide True Hospitality for Good.
With a family of 21 hotel brands and IHG One Rewards, one of the world’s largest hotel loyalty programmes with over 160 million members, IHG has more than one million rooms across 7,000 hotels in over 100 countries, and a development pipeline of a further 2,300 properties.
- Luxury & Lifestyle: Six Senses, Regent, InterContinental, Vignette Collection, Kimpton, Hotel Indigo
- Premium: Noted Collection, voco, Ruby, HUALUXE, Crowne Plaza, EVEN
- Essentials: Holiday Inn Express, Holiday Inn Hotels & Resorts, Garner, avid
- Suites: Atwell Suites, Staybridge Suites, Holiday Inn Club Vacations, Candlewood Suites
- Exclusive Partners: Iberostar Beachfront Resorts
InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the Group’s holding company and is incorporated and registered in England and Wales. Approximately 400,000 people work across IHG’s hotels and corporate offices globally.
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About voco hotels
Designed to stand out from the crowd, voco hotels is IHG’s fastest growing premium brand, offering a hotel experience that is consistently thoughtful and distinct. Each property is characterised by its individual charm, providing guests with something different while also ensuring the reliability of a global brand. With an inviting and unstuffy atmosphere, voco hotels creates a space where guests can truly unwind and feel at ease. Centered around the brand hallmarks ‘Come on in,’ ‘Me time,’ and ‘voco life,’ voco delivers delightful and uplifting experiences brought to life by easy-going and attentive hosts.
For more information and to book, visit www.vocohotels.com, and stay connected with us on Facebook www.facebook.com/vocohotels and Instagram www.instagram.com/vocohotels.
SOURCE: InterContinental Hotels Group
