Arab-Speaking Customers Can Access Hotel Information and Services Including Search Hotels and Receive Booking Confirmation
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), the world's largest and most global hotel company announced today that Arab speaking customers worldwide will now be able to experience online reservation in Arabic with the launch of IHG's Arab language website, www.ichotels.com/arabic.
Enhancing the online reservation experience by offering real time content and booking facilities in Arabic, InterContinental Hotels Group's new e-commerce service sets new standards for online reservations in the region.
Being the first major hotel company to offer the online Arabic service is a reflection of InterContinental Hotels Group's commitment to meeting the market needs and providing its guests with a comprehensive and leading service, with the Arabic content available for the company's 3500 hotels across all of its seven brands and its Priority Club Rewards programme.
Speaking about the launch of the innovative new online service, Chris Moloney, Chief Operating Officer for the Middle East & Africa region of InterContinental Hotels Group, said "Industry research has demonstrated that customers are concerned about convenience, reliability, security, and privacy of online transactions. With the launch of this new website, we are offering our guests the added convenience of booking in Arabic and at the same time, enabling them to continue booking with confidence that they will get the best publicly available rate online, their reservation will be there when they arrive and that their information will be protected."
"Based on detailed research into customer requirements and preferences, the website enables customers to search for hotels, select arrival and departure dates and confirm their stays online. Changes to reservations details can also be made online", continued Moloney
Each day, over US$5 million worth of reservations are booked via direct Internet sites of the InterContinental Hotels Group, which are available on nine different languages. With a long track record of world firsts, InterContinental Hotels Group is proud to have been the first hotel company to take bookings directly online in 1995 and to then launch the industry's first best rate guarantee in 2002.
"We are focused on delivering the best product at the best available price for our guests," stated Eric Pearson, Senior Vice President of E-Commerce, InterContinental Hotels Group.
"We have seen a significant impact on the hotel industry since the Internet emerged nearly 10 years ago -- and InterContinental Hotels Group has been instrumental in this tremendous growth. Consumers want to book directly with brands they recognize and trust and with 50 years behind us, we have the most recognized and trusted brands in the world," continued Pearson
"Customers who book online through any of the Group's websites can also rest assured that they will receive the best available rate with the IHG Lowest Internet Rate Guarantee promise," said Moloney. "If customers find hotels cheaper on any other website, the price will not only be matched, but the customer will also receive a 10% reduction on that rate."
Additionally, the group was the first to address how IHG hotels will work with online third party intermediaries, including the establishment of certification criteria, which all online third party intermediary sites must adhere to when selling IHG rooms online - protecting consumers and our hotel owners.
-Ends-
About InterContinental Hotels Group
InterContinental, Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn hotels across the region can be booked with toll-free calls to the InterContinental Hotels Group Middle East Central Reservations Office in Bahrain (80000 880), Egypt (0800-4433322), Jordan (0800-22666), Kuwait (473 2100 ext 6233), Lebanon (01 426-801 - ask operator to connect to 866 866 7556), Oman (800 777 999), Pakistan (00800 909 71005), Qatar (0800 971234), Saudi Arabia (800 897 1465), and the UAE (800 4642).
InterContinental Hotels Group PLC of the United Kingdom [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is the world's largest hotel group by number of rooms. InterContinental Hotels Group owns, manages, leases or franchises, through various subsidiaries, more than 3,500 hotels and over 537,000 guest rooms in nearly 100 countries and territories around the world. The Group owns a portfolio of well recognised and respected hotel brands including InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Express, Staybridge Suites, Candlewood Suites and Hotel Indigo, and also manages the world's largest hotel loyalty programme, Priority Club Rewards, with over 26 million members worldwide. In addition to this, InterContinental Hotels Group has a 47.5% interest in Britvic, one of the two leading manufacturers of soft drinks, by value and volume, in Great Britain.
InterContinental Hotels Group offers information and online reservations for all its hotel brands at www.ichotelsgroup.com and information for the Priority Club Rewards programme at www.priorityclub.com.
For the latest news from InterContinental Hotels Group, visit our online Press Office at www.ihgplc.com/media
For further information please contact:
Impact Porter Novelli
PO Box 19791
Dubai
United Arab Emirates
Sarah Plummer
Senior Consultant
Tel: 9714 3304030
Ext: 404
Fax: 9714 3304031
E-mail: s.plummer@ipn.ae
© Press Release 2005
