IHG Hotels & Resorts (IHG) has been chosen as the Official Hotel Partner of the Qatar Airways British & Irish Lions Tour to Australia – set to be one of the world’s largest and most in-demand sporting events of 2025.

 

The prestigious partnership builds on IHG’s two-decade-long relationship with Rugby Australia and continues IHG’s momentum working with exceptional partners to deliver once-in-a-lifetime experiences and exclusive access for its 145+ million IHG One Rewards members.

 

Returning to Australia for the first time in 12 years this June, The British & Irish Lions will play six Tour matches, with three Test matches against the Wallabies in Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney.

 

As an Official Partner, IHG will have a presence on and off the pitch, including activations inside the Lions Den and Wallabies fan zones in the three cities, plus IHG Hotels & Resorts’ branding and logo on the Wallabies match shorts.

 

Matt Tripolone, Managing Director, Australasia & Pacific, IHG Hotels & Resorts said: “The Lions Tour is renowned for transcending borders to unite nations in celebration of sporting history, excellence, and performance. The buzz is already palpable, and we are incredibly proud to be chosen as the Official Hotel Partner, providing a welcoming home base for teams and fans alike, while being able to connect our IHG One Rewards members with unmissable experiences.”

 

Ben Calveley, CEO of The British & Irish Lions, said: “A Lions Tour places many demands on players and staff, so making sure we have a home away from home, thanks to our partners at IHG, is crucial. With record-breaking numbers of Lions fans already travelling in 2025, we also know that our loyal supporters will find many comforts across IHG's portfolio.

 

“Everyone at The British & Irish Lions is also committed to taking pride in all the places we visit as we look to have a positive impact on the communities that we will visit in Australia. And I’m pleased to say that this is also an ethos shared with IHG and Rugby Australia.”

 

Phil Waugh, CEO of Rugby Australia, said: “We’re thrilled to be able to extend Rugby Australia’s long-standing partnership with IHG into this year’s highly anticipated British & Irish Lions Tour of Australia. IHG hotels provide a perfect home away from home for our teams in gold, allowing them to focus fully on their preparation and challenges on the field.”

 

In the lead up to the Tour and during the June-August matches, IHG One Rewards loyalty members will be at the heart of the action with access to exclusive benefits and access opportunities, including money-can’t-buy packages available on the IHG One Rewards Access platform, social media giveaways and on-property activations.

 

The partnership bolsters IHG’s leading reputation for supporting elite sporting teams, including its long-standing sponsorship as Official Partner of the Wallabies and first Official Hotel Partner of Six Nations Rugby. Additionally, IHG’s commitment to caring for the planet and people through Journey to Tomorrow is shared among the Lions Tour’s partners, including the Great Barrier Reef Foundation as chosen Global Charity Partner – an organisation close to home for IHG with InterContinental Hayman Great Barrier Reef one of the world’s most iconic private island resorts.

 

The Tour is expected to attract more than 40,000 inbound visitors as well as flocks of fans from across the country. With over 50 hotels in Australia, and more than 6,500 globally, IHG will welcome the festival of Rugby across its diverse portfolio of brands for every traveller appetite, including InterContinental, Kimpton, Crowne Plaza, voco, Holiday Inn and more. -TradeArabia News Service