IHG Launches New Priority Club Rewards iPhone App; Complements Broader Global Mobile Strategy Currently Generating Over $1 Million Per Month

ATLANTA, April 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) (Lon: IHG; NYSE: IHG (ADRs)), the world's largest hotel group by number of rooms, today announced the global launch of its Priority Club® Rewards iPhone™ app.  The app complements IHG's worldwide strategy which includes its enhanced mobile websites that provide customers with the functionality to find and book hotel rooms, check rates and view or cancel reservations for all seven of its brands - InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Indigo®, Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn® Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Express®, Staybridge Suites® and Candlewood Suites®.  

IHG was an early pioneer in the mobile space with the hotel industry's first wireless reservation system in 2001.  Today, the company's mobile strategy and platform continue to expand.  The iPhone app is the latest entry into the mobile space from IHG following the release of its enhanced mobile websites more than a year ago.  These websites are currently generating more than $1 million per month in revenue for IHG's hotels globally – growing by more than 600 percent over the past year.

As part of the iPhone app launch, IHG is offering users 1,000 Priority Club Rewards bonus points for all bookings and stays for the rest of April through June 15, 2010 made using the iPhone app*.

The Priority Club Rewards iPhone app contains the features Priority Club Rewards members expect when booking and managing reservations.  The features for the initial release include:

• Find and Book Hotel
  • Use the GPS functionality of the iPhone to find nearby IHG hotels
  • View photos and amenities for each hotel
  • Get custom directions using the iPhone's GPS
  • Click-to-call front desk for each hotel
  • Use Priority Club Rewards account information to facilitate bookings
• View Priority Club Rewards member details (number, level, points balance)
• View and Cancel upcoming reservations
• Quick enrollment into Priority Club Rewards
• Manage account profile
• View special offers

"It's important to have a holistic view of a customer's needs when creating a mobile strategy and supporting applications.  Customers want access to information whenever and wherever they want and mobile provides that capability," said Michael Menis, vice president, Global Interactive Marketing, IHG.  "With this in mind we developed our iPhone app to complement our mobile strategy which includes our optimized mobile websites.  These websites allow customers to reach us through various mobile devices giving them greater accessibility.  This is particularly important as different regions of the world have different customer needs and smartphone adoption rates."

IHG's Priority Club Rewards iPhone app is now available in English at the iPhone app store.  BlackBerry® and Android™ app will follow in the coming months.

* Priority Club® Rewards iPhone App Offer:

Must be a Priority Club® Rewards member to participate. 1,000 bonus points will be awarded for any qualifying stay up to the 15th June 2010. Bookings must be made using the iPhone Application. Allow 4 weeks from stay for bonus points to be posted to your account. Miles earners will receive points. Subject to availability. Offer valid on new bookings only, not applicable to groups and cannot be used in conjunction with any other offers or special promotions. Only one room per member will be awarded the applicable points. Rates may vary by date of booking. Subject to standard Priority Club Rewards terms and conditions.

iPhone is a trademark of Apple, Inc.  BlackBerry is a registered trademark of Research in Motion.  Android is a trademark of Google Inc. The hotel brands are registered trademarks of companies in the InterContinental Hotels Group.

Notes to Editors:

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) [LON: IHG, NYSE: IHG (ADRs)] is the world's largest hotel group by number of rooms.  IHG owns, manages, leases or franchises, through various subsidiaries, over 4,400 hotels and more than 645,000 guest rooms in 100 countries and territories around the world.  The Group owns a portfolio of well recognized and respected 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® and also manages the world's largest hotel loyalty program, Priority Club® Rewards with 48 million members worldwide.

IHG has 1,400 hotels in its development pipeline, which will create 140,000 jobs 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 program at www.priorityclub.com. For the latest news from IHG, visit our online Press Office at www.ihg.com/media

SOURCE IHG

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