InterContinental Hotels Group witnesses strong start for 2005 with first-quarter revenue marking a 201 % increase on same period last year
Dubai - InterContinental Hotels Group has achieved further success in its regional performance, with net revenue up 36 per cent year to date and a 201 per cent rise in total revenue against the same period last year. The company's Middle East Global Sales Office reported that 54 per cent of the revenue generated was being driven into InterContinental, Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn hotels and resort within the region.
The highest volume of traffic came from Saudi Arabia at 60 per cent, followed by the UAE, Qatar and Lebanon.
'The Global Sales Office continues to witness fantastic results, with 2005 already securing a 109 per cent positive variance on the year's forecasts, which means solid and strategic factors are behind this staggering growth,' she said. Mara Campi, Director of Global Sales, Middle East.
Further success has been reported through it's Middle East Central Reservations Office, with net revenue up 36 per cent year to date and calls made to the Reservations Office have increasing by 7% year to date versus last year.Now in its fourth year of operation, the Middle East Central Reservations Office allows consumers and travel agents alike to make their bookings wherever they wish to go for business or pleasure, with over 3,500 hotels in over 100 countries and territories.
"The success of our Middle East Reservations Center goes from strength to strength. More and more people across the region are finding this the easiest and most cost effective way of making reservations at any one of our 3,500 around the world. After all, the call is free and the confirmation is instant," said Denis Johnson, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Middle East & Africa, InterContinental Hotels Group.
"The beauty of our Holidex Plus reservations system is that the agents in our Reservations Center have direct access into the hotels room inventories. We are particularly pleased with the higher conversion ratio; it means very simply that our customers like what we are offering in terms of product and services as well as our prices. The introduction of our new simple pricing last year is really paying off!" continued Johnson.
To cope with the growing demand and in order to better serve customers, InterContinental Hotels Group has extended the Middle East Reservations Center opening hours from 9am until 11pm Saturday to Thursday and 1pm - 10pm on Fridays.
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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 971234) 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 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 (www.ichotelsgroup.com). 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, and Candlewood Suites, and also has a controlling interest in Britvic, the second largest soft drinks manufacturer in the UK. InterContinental Hotels Group offers information and reservations capability on the Internet - www.intercontinental.com for InterContinental Hotels & Resorts,
www.crowneplaza.com for Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, www.holiday-inn.com for Holiday Inn hotels, www.hiexpress.com for Holiday Inn Express hotels, www.staybridge.com for Staybridge Suites by Holiday Inn hotels, and www.candlewoodsuites.com for Candlewood Suites, and for the Group's rewards programme, www.priorityclub.com For the latest news from InterContinental Hotels Group, visit our online Press Office at www.pressoffice.ihgplc.com
For further press information please contact:
Impact Porter Novelli
PO Box 19791
United Arab Emirates
Sarah Plummer
Senior Consultant
Tel:9714 3304030 Ext: 404
Fax:9714 3304031
E-mail: s.plummer@ipn.ae
© Press Release 2005
