IHG launches a range of bespoke services for business clients

Inter Continental Hotels Group – IHG, one of the world’s leading hotel companies, today announces the global launch of two industry leading initiatives for business travellers. From today, IHG Assist and IHG Meeting Point will be rolled out across more than 4,900 IHG hotels to enhance the experience offered to business guests and corporate partners.

Ingrid (Quimby) High, Director, Global Groups & Meetings Strategy, IHG commented:“We are always looking to innovate and improve the services IHG hotels can offer our business travellers.  Having listened to the specific needs of our customers, IHG has introduced IHG Assist and IHG Meeting Point to provide a more efficient, simple and streamlined way of working with businesses – whether they are hosting meetings or staying at our hotels.  IHG Assist answers the increasing concern for traveller safety and security, and IHG Meeting Point enables us to offer the right meeting space at the right hotel, with an unparalleled level of service and sector-specific expertise.  These industry-leading initiatives help build more trust and loyalty with our business guests.”

IHG Assist
IHG Assist is an industry leading suite of global initiatives designed to help IHG’s corporate clients address their growing concern for traveller safety and security. It is being implemented in direct response to requests from corporate clients and underscores IHG’s commitment to responsible business practices. As employees visit locations prone to natural disasters or experiencing political or social unrest, these initiatives will help ensure appropriate security measures are put in place. Specifically, these include:

• IHG Assist Groups & Meetings Service:A 24/7phone line to answer client concerns regarding traveller safety and security.
• IHG Security Consultations:Security consultations between a corporate client’s security team member or travel manager, and a member of IHG’s Global Security Team to address risk assessment concerns and security queries.
• Guest Location Services:Corporate clients will be offered access to information about their employees’ locationduring times of crisis and emergencies.

IHG Meeting Point:
IHG Meeting Point is part of IHG^® Small Meetings Solution – a streamlined approach to small and mid-size meetings, which solves an industry need for higher levels of service. IHG Meeting Point has been introduced as a first-to-market meetings solution for the Pharmaceutical, Automotive, Energy, Technology, Medical Healthcare and Manufacturing industries.  With industry-specific regulations and requirements, as well as safety and security issues, these sectors have a very dynamic set of needs.  Through a dedicated training portal, tailored by sector, IHG Meeting Point enables IHG hotel employees to develop unrivalled industry-specific knowledge, which directly caters to the needs of our clients. IHG Meeting Point addresses these specific needs in many ways, which includes the following:

• Pharmaceutical companies are driven by a heavy regulated industry in which exclusivity is key – having two pharmaceutical companies staying or hosting events at the same hotel, during the same time is prohibited. IHG Meeting Point allows IHG hotel staff to manage these confidential bookings in a way that ensures no two pharmaceutical companies are staying in, or meeting at, the same hotel at any given time.
• Energy companiesvalue offerings such as the IHG Green Engage® system, a global standard across the IHG portfolio helping hotels in delivering greater sustainability. IHG Meeting Point helps bring together clients with hotels who meet the advanced criteria for our IHG® Green Engage ‘Level 3’ system.