InterContinental Hotels Group

InterContinental Hotels Group

The multinational company, InterContinental Hotels Group or IHG operates thousands of hotels across the country. It is regarded as the world's largest hotel company according to number of rooms in its various hotel brands.

The InterContinental Hotels Group brands include:

• Intercontinental Hotels & Resorts - this is the most prestigious brand of the IHG group. It was founded by Pan American World Airlines and was initially developed along the airlines routes to cater for the staff and crew. Today InterContinental hotels can be found in 60 countries over the world.

• Crowne Plaza - the first Crowne Plaza was opened in Rockville, Maryland US in 1983. The hotel brand was designed to offer premium accommodation with business travellers in mind. It is now located in over 40 countries worldwide.

• Hotel Indigo - the Hotel Indigo brand was designed as a boutique brand for style conscious travellers. The hotels are located in urban areas near to restaurants, businesses and entertainment venues. Currently they are only located in America.

• Holiday Inn - this brand is one of the InterContinental Groups most successful brands. It currently has around 1384 hotels across the world and they are situated in a variety of locations. Holiday Inn was the first national hotel company to sell a franchise.

• Holiday Inn Express - the Holiday Inn Express brand was launched in the US in 1991. It has become one of the fastest growing brands in the hotel industry with an average of two hotels opening every week. The brand is either known as Holiday Inn Express or Express by Holiday Inn. They are simple uncomplicated hotels that provide value for money.

• Staybridge Suites - this brand is an all suite hotel brand aimed at long stay travellers. They are a residential style hotels catering for extended stay guests. IHG is launching the Staybridge suites brand in the UK from 2007.

• Candlewood Suites - The Candlewood Suites brand has 142 hotels in America. The brand is aimed at the mid market business and offers high quality accommodation.

• Priority Club - Priority Rewards is a reward scheme that gives members privileges and rewards loyalty. Priority club members can receive three levels of membership but can claim points at any hotel anywhere in the world. It has been a very successful scheme and IHG figures show that over 300,000 people join every month.

IHG operates hotels primarily through franchising. It is the largest part of the business with over 3200 hotels under franchise agreement. They also manage about 510 hotels around the world but only own 24 hotels.

How the InterContinental Group Started

The InterContinental Group can trace its origins back to 1777 when William Bass set up brewery in Burton on Trent. In 1989 limits were introduced that affected the number of pubs brewers could own, so the focus of the company was directed toward hotels.

The group sold Bass Brewers to a Belgium brewer in 2000 which involved selling the rights to the Bass name and changing to Six Continents PLC. However in 2002 a proposed separation of the groups' hotels and soft drinks businesses from the retail business was made. The process was completed in April 2003 and thus today InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is its own company listed on the London Stock Exchange.

Login or Register (for FREE) to search and buy a checkSURE Company Credit Report on InterContinental Hotels Group