Northstar

The Indispensable Travel Industry Read Feature Highlight Business Class Files high Vol. 2 Issue 18 | 24 May 2011 | www.travelweeklyweb.com | Published by Travel & Meetings Group, Ten Alps Communications Asia Pte Ltd News Fascinated by the Royal Wedding? News Holiday Inn completes Thailand phase of global brand refresh (L-R) Simon Douthett, GM, Holiday Inn Chiangmai; Dominique Ronge, GM, Holiday Inn Resort, Phi Phi Island ; Sandra Kloprogge, GM, Holiday Inn Resort Regent Beach Cha-Am; Mark Flower, director of Commercial, IHG Director, Commercial Thailand/IndoChina/Maldives SINGAPORE – Holiday Inn, the most widely recognised lodging brand in the world, announced the relaunch of Holiday Inn Chiangmai, Holiday Inn Resort Regent Beach Cha-Am, and Holiday Inn Resort Phi Phi Island, completing the Thailand phase of the US$1 billion Holiday Inn global brand refresh. Hol iday Inn is part of IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group), the world's largest hotel group by number of rooms. The global brand refresh was fi rst announced in 2007 and is the biggest rebranding exercise in the hospitality industry. The relaunched Holiday Inn properties in Chiangmai, Cha-Am and Phi Phi Island are the latest addition to the more than 3,100 relaunched hotels and 430,000 rooms worldwide. "We are delighted to complete the Thailand phase of the refresh project wi th the Hol iday Inn Chiangmai , Hol iday Inn Resor t Regent Beach Cha-Am, and Holiday Inn Resort Phi Phi Island," said Alan Watts, vice president of Operations, South East Asia, IHG. "Attuned with the requirements of the modern and dynamic global traveller, the Holiday Inn refresh strengthens and repositions the brand at the forefront of the highly competitive hospitality/travel industry, specifi cally in Thailand, which remains one of the most popular travel destinations in Asia." "Although tourism in Thailand dipped in recent years due to unprecedented internal events, Holiday Inn has always been highly optimistic, and rightly so, as 2011 sees Thailand reemerging strongly once again as a business and leisure destination of choice for local , regional, and international travelers," Alan Watts continued. Holiday Inn is the world's best known hotel brand – nine out of ten travellers have stayed at a Holiday Inn at some point in their lives. With nearly 140 Holiday Inn hotels in key locations across Asia Pacific, the refresh program creates a more contemporary brand image as part of the drive to increase quality and consistency across the hotel's global portfolio. It underscores Holiday Inn's campaign brand proposition of championing the "real you". Its campaign tagline "Stay You" promises a renewed focus on providing a great Holiday Inn experience at every customer touch point from arrival to departure. It does this through modern amenities and facilities that travellers truly need, an up-to- date sensory experience (look, feel, and scent) including a new logo and signage that is consistent across all Holiday Inn hotels globally. Another key component of the refresh is the Holiday Inn "Stay Real" Page 6 Accor raises US$130,000 for Aids impacted children in China Page 8 service culture, allowing guests to be as comfortable and relaxed as they can be, so they can "Stay You" – and be themselves no matter who they are, or whichever Holiday Inn hotel they're staying anywhere in the world. As a new standard across all refreshed Holiday Inn hotels, each room accommodation offers the following: guest beds are made using crisp, white bedding with pillows that come in two comfort levels: soft and fi rm; a sitting area with a lounge chair; cable television; amenities like coffee maker, hairdryer, iron and ironing board; bathrooms with specially designed showerhead that offers superior pressure, as well as a signature shower curtain with curved rod; business-focused necessities like an ergonomic work station, data ports, high speed Internet access and Wi-Fi capabilities, and complimentary newspapers."

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