SHANGHAI, March 13 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group), one of the world's largest hotel groups by number of rooms, has won a number of industry awards in China, the fastest growing region for the company in Asia Pacific. At the 2007 China Hotel Starlight Awards, IHG was named Best International Hotel Company. Its Priority Club Rewards, which has 37 million members worldwide and 1 million members across China, was named Best Loyalty Programme in China. Edmond Ip, chief operating officer of IHG Greater China, was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award. In addition, IHG was named Best Employer in China's Hotel Industry by the China Hotel Annual Forum.
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The China Hotel Starlight Awards is known as the "Oscars" of China's hospitality industry and is sponsored by several leading media organisations in China. Winners were selected based on readership votes and professional assessments by industry experts. The China Hotel Annual Forum, also hosted by key industry media, this year has human resources as its special focus. A panel of government officials and industry experts selected winners based on their contributions to talent development.
Edmond Ip, chief operating officer, IHG Greater China, said: "We are honoured to receive these prestigious awards. As an industry leader, we continuously strive to improve the overall experience for our guests as well as our employees. It is clear that IHG employees the key to our ongoing success. Winning these awards not only acknowledges our leadership position in the China market, it also illustrates our dedication to the development of our brands and our commitment to talent."
IHG is the first international hotel group to enter China in 1984, and is currently the largest international hotel operator in Greater China with a portfolio of 82 hotels. The company has a pipeline of 107 hotels in Greater China, and is on track to have its 125th hotel open in the region by the end of this year. Of all hotel deals signed by international hotel companies in China in 2007, 47% are with IHG.
A key factor to IHG's success in Greater China has been its commitment to local talent. Since its establishment in Greater China 24 years ago, IHG has been proactively developing initiatives to attract, develop and retain local talent. The company invests heavily in training and development. In recent years, it has launched the IHG Academy in five Chinese cities, in collaboration with key colleges and vocational institutions. The IHG Academy is expected to supply 2,000 graduates to IHG's hotels every year.
"IHG is growing at its fastest pace ever in China in 2008, and we will ensure our success by continuing to focus on building strong brands and attracting and developing the best people," Ip added.
Other awards IHG received at the Starlight Awards include:
Crowne Plaza Fudan Shanghai - Top 10 Business Hotels
Crowne Plaza Chengdu - Top 10 Business Hotels
Crowne Plaza Chengdu - Top Employers in China
Theodore Durham, general manager, Crowne Plaza Chengdu - Top 10 Foreign General Managers in China
About IHG
InterContinental Hotels Group PLC (IHG) of the United Kingdom [LON: IHG, NYSE: IHG (ADRs)] is the world's largest hotel group by number of rooms. IHG owns, manages, leases or franchises, through various subsidiaries, over 3,900 hotels and more than 585,000 guest rooms in nearly 100 countries and territories around the world. IHG owns a portfolio of well recognised and respected hotel brands including InterContinental(R) Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza(R) Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn(R) Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Express(R), Staybridge Suites(R), Candlewood Suites(R) and Hotel Indigo(R), and also manages the world's largest hotel loyalty programme, Priority Club(R) Rewards with over 37 million members worldwide.
The company pioneered the travel industry's first collaborative response to environmental issues as founder of the International Hotels and Environment Initiative (IHEI). The IHEI formed the foundations of the Tourism Partnership launched by the International Business Leaders Forum in 2004, of which IHG is still a member today. The environment and local communities remain at the heart of IHG's global corporate responsibility focus.
IHG offers information and online reservations for all its hotel brands at http://www.ihg.com and information for the Priority Club Rewards programme at http://www.priorityclub.com .
For the latest news from IHG, visit our online Press Office at http://www.ihg.com/media
