InterContinental Hotels Group launches iPhone booking applications for its seven hotel brands

InterContinental Hotels Group announced the continuation of its mobile app strategy with iPhone booking apps for each of its seven brands – InterContinental Hotels and Resorts, Hotel Indigo, Crowne Plaza Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Express, Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites. These new apps provide guests with the ability to find and book hotel rooms, check rates and view or cancel reservations.

The iPhone apps for each brand follow the highly successful release of the InterContinental Concierge Insider Guides app for iPad in December 2010, the Priority Club Rewards app for Android in July 2010 and the Priority Club Rewards app for iPhone in April 2010.

In just over a year, IHG has seen a nearly 1,000 percent increase in room night bookings from mobile devices. In the first five months of 2011, IHG has already surpassed its 2010 total number of room night bookings from mobile devices.

Most guests – 65%- who book through a mobile device are staying at IHG hotels the same night or within one day. To cater to this guest, the new booking apps for each of our seven brands include location aware capabilities to assist guests in booking hotels close to their location and navigating to the property.

Matt Luscombe, IHG’s senior vice president, sales and marketing, EMEA, said, “Our guests tend to be business travellers who need to book a hotel room or change a reservation whilst they’re on the move. Our mobile strategy is responding to this growing demand. Last year we launched a mobile iPhone booking app that just targeted our 58 million Priority Club Rewards members and we’re now expanding our iPhone booking app service to all of our seven brands.”

The iPhone apps for each brand contain booking and reservation management features, including:

• Search, compare and book at IHG hotels – InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Indigo, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Express, Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites.

• Plan arrival by accessing current reservations and quick access to maps, directions and hotel contact information.

• Securely store credit card information to expedite bookings.

• Enjoy “touch-to-call” access.

• Manage travel profiles.

• Receive communication about the latest promotions and offers.

• Priority Club Rewards members have the ability to earn points and redeem for stays.

• Enroll in Priority Club Rewards (membership is not required to use the apps).

IHG’s mobile channels and programmes continue to be recognized throughout the industry. Recently, IHG won TravelCom’s Mobile Marketer of the Year; Web Marketing Associations’ Best Mobile Travel Application in the Interactive Advertising Competition; and Atlanta Interactive Marketing Association’s “Most Effective Mobile Campaign”.

IHG’s iPhone apps for each of its hotels brands are now available in English at the iPhone app store.

Notes and media contacts
Android is a trademark of Google Inc. Use of this trademark is subject to Google Permissions. iPhone is a registered trademark of Apple, Inc. The hotel brands are registered trademarks of companies in the InterContinental Hotels Group.

About InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG):InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is a global company operating seven well-known hotel brands including InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Indigo, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Express, Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites . IHG also manages Priority Club Rewards, the world’s first and largest hotel loyalty programme with 58 million members worldwide.

IHG is the world’s largest hotel group by number of rooms and IHG franchises, leases, manages or owns, through various subsidiaries, a portfolio of over 4,400 hotels and more than 652,000 guest rooms in 100 countries and territories around the world.

IHG has more than 1,200 hotels in its development pipeline and expects to recruit around 160,000 people worldwide over the next few years.

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the Group’s holding company and is incorporated in Great Britain and registered in England and Wales.

IHG offers information and online reservations for all its hotel brands at www.ihg.com and information for the Priority Club Rewards programme at www.priorityclub.com. For our latest news visit www.ihg.com/media.

Media enquiries:

Hala Saqqa
Senior Account Executive
Hill and Knowlton
Dir: +971 4 4055 621
Tel: +971 4 3344 930
Fax: +971 4 3344 923