InterContinental Hotels Group Opens Four China Hotels in One Month

InterContinental Hotels Group Opens Four China Hotels in One Month

July 31, 2006

More than 1,100 Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn rooms opened in June and July

    SHANGHAI, China, July 31 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ --
InterContinental Hotels Group, the world's largest hotel
group by number of rooms, marked a new milestone in China
with the opening of four hotels and 1,100 rooms during the
one-month period from June to July 2006. 

    The recent openings of Crowne Plaza Changshu, Crowne
Plaza Fudan Shanghai, Holiday Inn Jasmine Suzhou and
Holiday Inn Seaview Qinhuangdao bring the Group's portfolio
of hotels in China to 57, the largest of any international
hotel company. It also brings the company a step closer to
its goal of having 125 hotels open in China by 2008. 

    The Group's pioneering effort in China is also evident
as two of the hotels -- Crowne Plaza Changshu and Holiday
Inn Seaview Qinhuangdao -- opened as the first
internationally managed hotels in their respective cities.

    The four hotels which opened during the period
include:

    -- Crowne Plaza Changshu -- Opened on 12 July, the
strategically located 275-room hotel is adjacent to both
the new International Exhibition Center and the newly built
Sports Stadium. Part of the Jiangsu province, Changshu is
one of China's most developed counties and known for its
historical, cultural and scenic attractions.

    -- Holiday Inn Sea View Qinhuangdao -- Opened on 1
July, the 290-room beachfront hotel will play a key role in
the growth of Qinhuangdao, one of China's upcoming tourist
destinations. In addition to being a seaside resort,
Qinhuangdao is a major port city and home to the eastern
end of the Great Wall.

    -- Holiday Inn Jasmine Suzhou -- Opened on 28 June as
the first Holiday Inn hotel in Jiangsu province, the
287-room hotel is located in a main shopping district in
downtown Suzhou. The hotel provides easy access to the
growing commercial zones in the east and west of the city.


    -- Crowne Plaza Fudan Shanghai -- Opened on 12 June
with a strategic location in Shanghai's `University Town',
opposite the prestigious Fudan University. This 309-room
hotel is targeted at academic and institutional conferences
as well as travellers who prefer upscale accommodation away
from the buzz of downtown Shanghai, yet near enough for
convenient access.

    Edmond Ip, chief operating officer, North Asia,
InterContinental Hotels Group, said: "China is a key
market for InterContinental Hotels Group and where a
significant portion of our global expansion strategy will
be carried out. We continue to open new hotels in key
cities and secondary locations. The country is undergoing
rapid development and we look forward to contributing to
the continued growth of the country's tourism and hotel
industries."

    About InterContinental Hotels Group

    InterContinental Hotels Group PLC of the United Kingdom
[LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is the world's largest hotel
group by number of rooms.  InterContinental Hotels Group
owns, manages, leases or franchises, through various
subsidiaries, over 3,600 hotels and 537,500 guest rooms in
nearly 100 countries and territories around the world. The
Group 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
IndigoTM, and also manages the world's largest hotel
loyalty programme, Priority Club(R) Rewards. 

    Asia Pacific is the fastest growing region for
InterContinental Hotels Group worldwide. The Group's
portfolio in this region includes more than 160 hotels and
over 45,000 guest rooms under the InterContinental(R)
Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza(R) Hotels & Resorts,
Holiday Inn(R) Hotels and Resorts, and Express by Holiday
Inn(R) brands.

    InterContinental Hotels Group offers information and
online reservations for all its hotel brands at
http://www.ichotelsgroup.com and information for the
Priority Club Rewards programme at
http://www.priorityclub.com .

    For the latest news from InterContinental Hotels Group,
visit our online Press Office at http://www.ihgplc.com/media
.

    For more information, please contact:

     Sharona Tao
     Brand Public Relations & Communications Manager,
Greater China
     InterContinental Hotels Group
     Tel:    [phone]
     Fax:    [phone]
     Email:  [e-mail]

SOURCE  InterContinental Hotels Group PLC