The luxury hospitality brand which owns Holiday Inn must rethink their decision to operate in a Chinese region where a genocide is said to be taking place, senior parliamentarians have demanded.
Former Conservative leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith is among those to have signed a cross-party letter to InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) demanding answers over the company’s activities in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) of China.
Beijing has been accused of subjecting the region’s Uyghur Muslim minority to mass surveillance, forced labour and religious repression.
But recent research by the Uyghur Human Rights Project (UHRP) has shown that IHG, which is headquarted in Windsor, is currently operating four hotels in the area, with at least another 16 set to open in the coming years.
The revelation has prompted MPs from a range of parties to question IHG’s choice to do business in the region. As well as Sir Iain, the signatories included Labour MPs Blair McDougall, Marie Rimmer and Alex Sobel, the SNP’s Chris Law and peers Lord Mackinlay, Lord Shinkwin, Baroness D’Souza and Baroness Meyer.
In a letter seen by MailOnline, they wrote: ‘In such an environment, it is exceedingly difficult, if not impossible, for foreign businesses to operate without the risk of benefiting from or contributing to state-led human rights abuses.
‘Continued commercial presence in such a context risks signalling tacit endorsement of policies that the UK Government and others have condemned.
‘Given growing legal and reputational risks associated with corporate presence in Xinjiang, we strongly urge your company to reassess your operations in the region.
‘We respectfully request a formal response to the questions above and appreciate your attention to this issue.’
Former Conservative leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith is among those to have signed a cross-party to InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) demanding answers over the company’s activities in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region
Research by the Uyghur Human Rights Project (UHRP) has shown that IHG, which is headquarted in Windsor, is currently operating four hotels in the area, with at least another 16 set to open in the coming years
The UHRP report says that five international hotel chains, including IHG, Marriott and Hilton, are all operating in the XUAR.
IHG has hotels in areas administered by the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC), under targeted sanctions by the UK, US, Canada and the European Union for human rights violations.
Restrictions have also been imposed in the UK to ensure British organisations are not complicit in, nor profiting from, human rights abuses in Xinjiang.
So by conducting business in the XUAR, IHG may be considered to be profiting from tourism in the region where broad suppression is taking place.
In a page now deleted on their website, IHG advertise two Holiday Inn Express hotels with the tagline: ‘Searching for a hotel in Xinjiang? IHG Hotels & Resorts has the perfect hotel for your upcoming trip to Xinjiang.
‘Our hotels are dedicated to providing exceptional service and a memorable stay for every guest.
‘Whether you’re seeking luxury, boutique, or budget-friendly accommodations in Xinjiang, we have a hotel brand that will exceed your expectations.
‘Discover the perfect IHG hotel in Xinjiang and create unforgettable memories during your visit. Book your stay with us today and let us make your trip exceptional.’
Luke De Pulford, Executive Director of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, told MailOnline: ‘With abuses rife throughout Xinjiang, only those who really don’t care about the human cost are seeking to expand.
It’s simply impossible for companies to do meaningful human rights due diligence in the region.
‘It’s “hear no evil, see no evil”. With companies like this, customers should vote with their feet.’
A Uyghur woman protests in front of policemen at a street on July 7, 2009 in Urumqi, the capital of the XUAR
The Artux City Vocational Skills Education Training Service Center in Xinjiang, believed to be a re-education camp where mostly Muslim ethnic minorities are detained
So by conducting business in the XUAR, IHG may be considered to be profiting from tourism in the region where broad suppression is taking place
As well as Sir Iain, the signatories included Labour MPs Blair McDougall, Marie Rimmer and Alex Sobel, the SNP ‘s Chris Law and peers Lord Shinkwin and Baroness Meyer
Overall, at least 115 hotels from various international brands were operational as of last month, with another 74 in various stages of planning.
Several world governments and legal groups have declared the government’s actions against Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities to be a genocide, although this has not been settled in any international court.
Beijing is attempting to promote Xinjiang as a tourist destination after years of criticism and scrutiny over its treatment of Uyghurs.
In 2024 Xinjiang recorded around 300 million visitors, according to state media, including five million foreign tourists – 50 per cent more than in 2023.
The UHRP says that ‘many of the newly opened and planned hotels in East Turkistan are not only standard business accommodations located in major cities, but large luxury resorts designed to attract high-end travelers.’
In IHG’s case, this includes an InterContinental Hotel in Ghulja City later this year.
IHG were also accused of hosting state propaganda events and promoting state narratives of Uyghur identity, traditions, and culture.
The report says: ‘The presence alone of international hotel chains in a region undergoing crimes against humanity and genocide is morally indefensible.
Beijing is attempting to promote Xinjiang as a tourist destination after years of criticism and scrutiny over its treatment of Uyghurs
Dr. Henryk Szadziewski, co-author of the report and Director of Research at the UHRP, said: ‘By helping to portray the region as a normal travel destination, international hotel chains risk enabling the ongoing persecution of the Uyghur people’
An immigration detention center where Uyghur detainees are held is seen in Bangkok, Thailand
‘By offering high-end accommodation and leisure spaces, international hotel chains contribute to a sanitised image of the region, one that directly serves Beijing’s propaganda objectives.’
Dr. Henryk Szadziewski, co-author of the report and Director of Research at the UHRP, added: ‘International hotel chains continue to operate and expand their hospitality businesses in a region where Uyghur families have been torn apart by internment, imprisonment, and forced labor.
‘By helping to portray the region as a normal travel destination, international hotel chains risk enabling the ongoing persecution of the Uyghur people.’
IHG and the Foreign Office were contacted for comment.
