|
|
in its Priority Club® Rewards; Launched in 1983, Was the Hotel Industry�s First Loyalty Programme |
.
SINGAPORE (28 JULY 2004) � Priority Club® Rewards, the customer
loyalty programme of InterContinental Hotels Group, today announced it
has enrolled more than 21 million members to become the world�s largest
hotel loyalty programme, surpassing Marriott Rewards in total number of
members.
�This is a fantastic achievement � we now have 21 million guests who frequently stay at InterContinental Hotels Group�s 3,500 hotels worldwide. It is indeed an honour that Priority Club Rewards is the choice programme for 21 million travellers and this serves to affirm our strategy to constantly bring value to our guests,� said Mr A. Patrick Imbardelli, Managing Director, InterContinental Hotels Group, Asia Pacific. Launched in the United States in 1983, Priority Club Rewards was the hotel industry�s first loyalty programme, and allows members to accumulate loyalty points and instant benefits at InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, Express by Holiday Inn, Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites hotels and resorts around the world. Priority Club Rewards recently celebrated its 10th anniversary in Asia Pacific, and today there are more than one million Priority Club Rewards members throughout the Asia Pacific region. �This is indeed a significant milestone for us - especially when you consider that we�ve doubled the programme�s global membership since 2001. Priority Club Rewards� unique features and distinctive offerings have made it a favourite among frequent travellers because we have based the programme on their needs and wants,� said InterContinental Hotels Group Director, Loyalty Marketing Asia Pacific, Ms Julia Wong. For example, Priority Club Rewards was the first hotel loyalty programme in the world to allow members to instantly redeem points over the phone or on-line. It is also the only hotel programme to feature a �no point expiration� policy, in addition to allowing members to transfer points or purchase additional points. Priority Club Rewards also recently made significant improvements to ensure greater value and recognition for its top members. This included lowering the requirements for reaching Gold elite status from 20 nights to 15, and from 60 nights to 50 for Platinum level over a calendar period. Platinum members also receive 50% bonus points every time they stay (up from 30%), are guaranteed a room when they book at least 72 hours in advance, and are subject to priority room upgrades at check-in. In addition to continually adding innovative partners and benefits to the programme, members are regularly offered incentives like this summer�s double points campaign at all InterContinental Hotels Group hotels in which guests receive double points when they stay before 31 August. With 21 million members worldwide, Priority Club Rewards now has more members than the entire population of Australia! To put this figure into even more perspective, consider the following:
Recently, the programme topped the 2004 Freddie Awards, the most prestigious consumer-generated awards in the travel industry, with wins in 14 out of 16 award categories including Best Bonus Promotion and Best Newsletter. Enrollment in Priority Club Rewards is free. InterContinental Hotels Group PLC of the United Kingdom [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is the world�s most global hotel company and the largest by number of rooms. InterContinental Hotels Group owns, manages, leases or franchises, through various subsidiaries, more than 3,500 hotels and 535,000 guest rooms in nearly 100 countries and territories around the world. |
Contact:
Audrey Tan Manager, Marketing Communications, Loyalty Marketing InterContinental Hotels Group, Asia Pacific Tel: 65 6395 6115 Email: [email protected] www.priorityclub.com |