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New Loyalty Program by IHG

IHG has announced the new loyalty program and will also offer some new services like free Internet to all loyalty program members.

The hotelier’s loyalty program was previously known as Priority Club Rewards. Starting from July, the 71 million member program will be known as IHG Rewards Club. Together with the new name, the program will get some new rules. For example, earlier only Elite members got complimentary free Internet. Now all members of the program will get free Internet from July 2013 to the end of 2014. The Elite status now can be reached faster if you stay in three or more hotels by IHG. Reward nights are now also counted in earning Elite status. Finally, Platinum Elite members will get more “extra” nights.

According to the company’s CEO Richard Solomons, the main aim of the new reward program is to offer more benefits for people who stay in different hotels by IHG. The hotelier wants to make its brands more connected as they belong to one family.

The company has decided to offer complimentary Internet after a new survey that identified Internet access a crucial factor of key importance. As many as 43% of adult respondents say they will not stay in a hotel that offers paid Internet. 23% of the people surveyed say that free Internet is the most important amenity for them. Modern travellers want free Internet in guestrooms and throughout the hotel. Travellers from China are the most demanding when it comes to the importance of Internet – 47% call it the most important thing when they stay in a hotel for business purposes. Chinese travellers are followed by Russia (26%), the U.S. (23%), and India (22%).

When asked about the most annoying thing in a hotel, 18% of respondents from the U.K. and 14% of respondents from the U.S. named paying for Internet.

03.04.2013

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