News Press Releases

IHG To Invest $200 Million In Crowne Plaza® Brand In The Americas

ICHGF | June 3, 2016

Crowne Plaza Accelerate Plan Set to Build on Brand's Momentum in the Region

PR Newswire

ATLANTA, June 3, 2016

ATLANTA, June 3, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), one of the world's leading hotel companies, announced today a $200 million investment in Crowne Plaza^® Hotels & Resorts in the Americas region.

The Crowne Plaza Accelerate plan, which will run for a three-year period, will help ensure that the brand remains at the forefront of the new way of doing business with design-led, culturally-relevant, technology-enabled solutions to genuinely empower, energize and inspire the modern business traveler to Make Business Travel Work. The plan will help enhance brand performance while also creating a guest experience with modern swagger, innovative technology, responsive service and flexible spaces that put the modern business traveler in control as they strive to integrate work and life, socialize and recharge.

IHG's investment will focus on increased sales and marketing efforts and continuous improvement of the guest experience. In addition, IHG will continue to selectively invest to secure high quality Crowne Plaza hotels in key markets throughout the region that showcase the future of business travel.

Elie Maalouf, CEO, The Americas, IHG said: "Our growth strategy for IHG in the Americas is building great momentum and the Crowne Plaza brand plays an important role in continuing this success. The brand is a global powerhouse and this plan will accelerate its growth and performance in the Americas, extending its leadership and guest satisfaction performance in the upscale hotel segment for today's business travelers."

The Crowne Plaza Accelerate plan includes:

A significant investment behind sales and marketing, including the launch of a new marketing campaign in early 2017 to enrich business traveler's hearts and minds about how the Crowne Plaza brand can meet their holistic needs.
High impact, distinctive and meaningful innovations that deliver sophisticated design and modern amenities. This includes the guest room of the future – the WorkLife Room – that turns the traditional guest room on its head by creating more space to work, socialize and rest. Additionally, a revolutionary approach to the "meetings between the meetings" includes technology-enabled public spaces designed for solo work and small group meetings with on-demand services such as an iPad installed in the space to order a caffeine hit or a bite to eat while you work.
A continued commitment to brand excellence by providing additional teams and tools to hotels. The Crowne Plaza brand has grown overall guest satisfaction twice as fast as the Upscale segment and will maintain this focus by providing additional resources to ensure every Crowne Plaza hotel delivers at the highest levels over the next 18 months.

Eric Lent, VP, Holiday Inn^® and Crowne Plaza^®, The Americas added: "The Crowne Plaza brand is redefining what it means to deliver an unrivaled guest experience for the modern business traveler. Whether it is working, moving between the intersection of work and relaxation or powering down for day, the brand's plan is meeting the evolving expectations of the modern business traveler in a new way."

About Crowne Plaza^® Hotels & Resorts

Part of the IHG global portfolio, the Crowne Plaza^® Hotels & Resorts brand is a dynamic upscale hotel brand located in nearly 65 countries around the world in major urban centers, gateway cities and resort destinations. As the fourth largest upscale full-service hotel brand in the world and one of the fastest growing, the Crowne Plaza brand has a solid foundation for future growth. The portfolio has doubled since 2003 to more than 400 hotels, and the global pipeline has increased fourfold to more than 80 hotels. At Crowne Plaza hotels, we help our guests feel energized and productive, and our Sleep Advantage^® program ensures our guests get a great night's sleep to power through their day. For reservations at Crowne Plaza properties, visit www.ihg.com/crowneplaza or call 1-877-2CROWNE. Connect with us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/crowneplaza or Facebook: www.Facebook.com/crowneplaza.

Notes to Editors:
IHG® (InterContinental Hotels Group) [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is a global organisation with a broad portfolio of hotel brands, including InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts, Kimpton® Hotels & Restaurants, HUALUXE™ Hotels and Resorts, Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Indigo®, EVEN® Hotels, Holiday Inn® Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn Express®, Staybridge Suites® and Candlewood Suites®.

IHG franchises, leases, manages or owns more than 5,000 hotels and 742,000 guest rooms in almost 100 countries, with nearly 1,400 hotels in its development pipeline. IHG also manages IHG® Rewards Club, the world's first and largest hotel loyalty programme with nearly 94 million members worldwide.

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the Group's holding company and is incorporated in Great Britain and registered in England and Wales. More than 350,000 people work across IHG's hotels and corporate offices globally.

Visit www.ihg.com for hotel information and reservations and www.ihgrewardsclub.com for more on IHG Rewards Club. For our latest news, visit: www.ihg.com/media and follow us on social media at: www.twitter.com/ihg, www.facebook.com/ihg and www.youtube.com/ihgplc.