InterContinental ICons 2020 – multi-sensory experiences in 7 cities around the world

InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, the world’s largest luxury hotel brand, today reveals the most iconic sights, sounds, tastes, smells and sensations that travellers should experience in 2020 if they want to really get to know the city they are visiting.

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The first ever InterContinental ICons range from the smell of fresh bagels at a West Village shop in New York, the unique flavours of Karak Chai in Jumeirah Beach in Dubai, to enjoying the sight of contrasting old and new architecture in London, the cool breeze on your face as you ride the Manly to Circular Quay ferry in Sydney, the smoky flavour of tacos al pastor in Mexico City, smell of oven-fresh bread from the boulangeries of Oberkampf in Paris, the sound of old songs played on a vinyl record player in Shanghai…

intercontinental icons 2020 multi sensory experiences in 7 cities around the world
The contrast of old and new architecture on the ever-changing London skyline credit NeonJellyfish
intercontinental icons 2020 multi sensory experiences in 7 cities around the world
Sydney’s top icon – The cool breeze on your face as you ride the Manly to Circular Quay ferry

The list of experiences was determined through an online public vote and then ranked by a panel of worldly influencers and leading travel experts as the best additions to conventional tourist destinations. The InterContinental ICons will also inspire curated experiences that can be booked at some of the leading InterContinental Hotels and Resorts across the world.

The campaign was developed based on insight from an independent study by the brand. The research revealed that most locals (59%) feel visitors are missing out on the true spirit of a place, while 75% of luxury travellers want to experience cities like a well-informed local.

Charlie Hamilton James, Photographer, National Geographic and member of the judging panel comments: “I loved working on the InterContinental ICons campaign – it opened my eyes to the many undiscovered facets that I’d been missing in each of these well-visited cities. Each one holds an infinite number of secrets and experiencing the ICons is just the way to start uncovering them”.