April 1, 2010 - InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, the world's
first hotel brand to offer global destination specific concierge websites
and videos, is now equipping its Concierge teams with Apple iPads, starting
next week. As part of a global pilot at InterContinental New York Barclay,
InterContinental Buckhead Atlanta, InterContinental London Park Lane and
InterContinental Hong Kong, travellers can look forward to receiving enhanced
local destination advice from the hotel Concierge teams, guided by mobile,
multi-touch, content-rich Apple iPads.
Travellers who have had the opportunity to experience this new service,
and those who would like to provide ideas and feedback to aid the future
development of this service, are invited to tweet InterContinental at www.twitter.com/WorldConcierge
InterContinental expects the Apple iPad to enhance its Concierge team's
interaction with guests in various ways, including:
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Enhanced Maps and Directions - Rather than jot directions on a foldable
paper map, Concierge teams will be able to provide exact directions, through
interactive maps with high-resolution satellite imagery, close-up street
views and detailed walking routes.
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Video Recommendations - Concierge teams' top local recommendations come
to life in destination specific videos, a unique InterContinental feature.
The Apple iPad will allow Concierge teams to present these short videos
to guests, so they get a clearer idea of selected recommended activities
even before they set off.
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Instant Booking Confirmations - Concierge recommendations of restaurants,
performances and attractions can be clearly illustrated with vibrant images
and sharp text, and bookings may be made and confirmed instantly by e-mail.
Simon Scoot, Vice President, Global Brand Management, InterContinental
Hotels & Resorts, said: "We have an amazing team of Concierges worldwide,
and our Concierges are already engaging with our guests with useful information
such as pre-stay e-mails, destination specific Concierge websites, interactive
maps and Concierge videos. We are also preparing to pilot state-of-the-art
Google Maps technology as well as other enhancements, and the Apple iPad
will be a revolutionary way of showcasing some of these features."
About InterContinental Hotels & Resorts
InterContinental Hotels & Resorts has 166 hotels,
located in more than 60 countries with local insight that comes from over
60 years of experience. At InterContinental we believe that superior, understated
service and outstanding facilities are important, but what makes us truly
different, is the genuine interest we show in our guests. Our desire is
to help guests make the most of their time. We connect our well-travelled
guests to what's special about a destination, by sharing our knowledge
so they enjoy authentic experiences that will enrich their lives and broaden
their outlook. For more information, visit www.intercontinental.com. To
view our full collection of Concierge videos, visit www.intercontinentalvideo.com.
About IHG
InterContinental 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 over 100 countries
and territories around the world. The Group owns a portfolio of well recognised
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 programme, Priority Club® Rewards with 48 million members worldwide.
IHG has nearly 1,400 hotels in its development pipeline, which will create
160,000 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.