All articles tagged with #ihg
Apple has finally launched AirPlay in hotel rooms, starting with "more than" 60 IHG hotels in the US, Canada, and Mexico, allowing guests to stream content from their phones to the hotel TVs. The feature was initially announced in 2023 but was delayed until this year, and is currently only available in select IHG brands such as Holiday Inn and Candlewood Suites. Apple plans to expand to more locations in the coming months.
IHG, the owner of hotel chains like Holiday Inn and Crowne Plaza, announced plans to return over $1 billion to shareholders in 2024 after a successful 2023, with annual room revenue and adjusted operating profit exceeding $1 billion for the first time. The company aims for high single-digit growth in fee revenue by increasing revenue per room and the number of hotels annually, and raised its final dividend by 10% while launching a new $800 million share buyback program. CEO Elie Maalouf highlighted the long-term demand drivers in the travel industry and expressed confidence in the brand portfolio's ability to drive revenue and system size growth.
IHG One Rewards has introduced a targeted fast track promotion for its Diamond Status, requiring members to complete 8 paid nights within six weeks to earn the status until the end of 2024. The promotion is available to invited IHG One Rewards members who register in advance and stay at participating IHG Hotels & Resorts. While the benefits of Diamond Status are significant, this year's offer provides a shorter duration of status compared to last year's promotion, making it less appealing for some members.
Chase has increased the welcome offer on the IHG Premier credit card to 165,000 IHG points after spending $3,000 within the first 3 months, making it one of the best offers ever seen on the card. The no annual fee IHG Traveler card also had its welcome offer increased to 100,000 points after $2,000 in spend. The Premier card comes with an annual free night certificate and the ability to "top off" certificates by adding points to book higher-level hotel rooms, while the Traveler card offers the 4th night free benefit on award bookings.
November 2-4 is National Cash Back Day, with various retailers and travel sites offering increased cash back rates. Some notable deals include 12% back at Hotels.com and Booking.com, 14% back at Best Western and IHG, and 16% back at Viator. Retailmenot, Rakuten, and TopCashback are among the portals offering these deals. It's recommended to check Cashbackmonitor.com for the best rates and to review the terms and conditions.
Hyatt is set to acquire London-based travel booking platform Mr. & Mrs. Smith for £53m ($66m), comprising over 1,500 boutique and luxury hotels and villas worldwide. The deal will see Hyatt expand its reach into the luxury and lifestyle hotel segment, particularly in countries where there are currently no Hyatt-branded hotels in operation. The acquisition comes at the expense of IHG Hotels & Resorts, which currently has a partnership with Mr. & Mrs. Smith.