In the 1950s, the InterContinental Hotel Group quickly developed. First in the Americas and, in the 1960s, it expanded to Europe, Asia and around the globe. In 1954, the group recorded its first, admittedly small, profit. Many of the hotels were purpose-built and avant-garde at the time of their construction. Today, some of the architecture is less appealing, but for many years it was fashionable and InterContinental was considered the hotel of the future, attracting not only businessmen and tourists, but also celebrities.