IHG Shrinks the Globe with New Public Online Community
Priority Club Connect allows users to seek travel information, share experiences with fellow travele
APRIL 14, 2009 - Travelers from around the world can now come closer together as IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group), [LON: IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)], the world's largest hotel group by number of rooms, launches its new public online community for its more than 42 million Priority Club(R) Rewards members called Priority Club Connect.
The Priority Club Connect online community provides a multitude of benefits for Priority Club Rewards members participating in the community. The online community encourages members to engage in on-going and robust dialogue with other community participants, and delivers valuable content about IHG and its Priority Club Rewards loyalty program.
"Priority Club Connect is a great way for our members to communicate with each other and allows us to build stronger relationships with them," said Lincoln Barrett, vice president, CRM & Multi-Brand Marketing, IHG. "The majority of our Priority Club Rewards members have something in common - they travel a lot or they love to travel. This community was designed by our customers and gives them the opportunity to come together to share great tips, advice and recommendations as well as to participate in special promotions."
Members using Priority Club Connect will have the unique opportunity to be bloggers on the site, upload photos and video content about their travel experiences and get details about special offers available only through the community.
Priority Club Connect participants will also be able to communicate with IHG executives. Based on questions that members submit through Priority Club Connect, executives at IHG will create a video to answer the questions and post it on the site for all members to view.
"I think it would be a good place to go to get more opinions and information on members, hotels, and destinations," said Christine Yurko, Priority Club Rewards Platinum member. "It could be a valuable resource when planning business and leisure trips. I'm glad to see that IHG is entering this foray for all its members."
Priority Club Connect is located at https://community.priorityclub.com/
Priority Club Rewards is the loyalty program for IHG's seven hotel brands - InterContinental(R) Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza(R) Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Indigo(R), Holiday Inn(R) Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Express(R), Staybridge Suites(R) and Candlewood Suites(R). The program is the largest in the industry with 42 million members worldwide. Membership in Priority Club Rewards is free. Customers can register at any of IHG's more than 4,150 hotels worldwide or through the Internet at www.priorityclub.com
Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) is a global leading lodging company based in Bethesda,Maryland, USA, with more than 4,200 properties in 80 countries and territories. Marriott International reported revenues of nearly $14 billion in fiscal year 2014. The company operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts under 19 brands, including: The Ritz-Carlton®, BVlgari®, EDITION®, JW Marriott®, Autograph Collection® Hotels, Renaissance® Hotels, Marriott Hotels®, Delta Hotels and Resorts®, Marriott Executive Apartments®, Marriott Vacation Club®, Gaylord Hotels®, AC Hotels by Marriott®, Courtyard®, Residence Inn®, SpringHill Suites®, Fairfield Inn & Suites®, TownePlace Suites®, Protea Hotels® and MoxyHotels®. Marriott has been consistently recognized as a top employer and for its superior business ethics. The company also manages the award-winning guest loyalty program, Marriott Rewards® and The Ritz-Carlton Rewards® program, which together surpass 50 million members. For more information or reservations, please visit our website at 
