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IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) announced the continuation of its mobile app strategy with iPhone booking apps for each of its seven brands – InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Indigo, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Express, Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites. These new apps provide customers with the functionality 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 percent – 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.
“We are continuing to build on our mobile strategy by making our brands more accessible to today’s travelers who seek solutions that assist them through every step of the travel planning process,” said Michael Menis, vice president, Web and Interactive Marketing. “Our initial iPhone efforts were targeted at our Priority Club Rewards program, currently totaling 58 million members, and because our seven brands are at the heart of our business, we are building off that initial success by expanding our iPhone solutions to include apps for each of our seven brands.”
The iPhone apps for each brand contain booking and reservation management features, including:
– Search, compare and book at IHG properties – 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 programs 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.”
The IHG’s iPhone apps for each of its hotels brands are now available in English at the iPhone app store.
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales. She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
