IHG Expands Presence in Brazil with New Holiday Inn Express® Hotel Signing

SÃO PAULO, Brazil--(BUSINESS WIRE)--IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) (LON:IHG) (NYSE:IHG) (ADRs), one of the world’s leading global hotel companies, today announced the signing of the Holiday Inn Express® Marília. The new-build, 102-room Holiday Inn Express® hotel will be among the first internationally branded properties in the city of Marília, and is slated to open toward the end of 2013. With a population of 220,000, Marília is predominantly a business destination known for its many sugar cane refineries that produce the important commodity, ethanol. The hotel will be centrally located, affording easy access to major thoroughfares, and minutes from Marília’s principal shopping center, industrial district and airport.

“The country’s growth is generating great demand for internationally branded hotels. The strength of our brands and experience in the region make IHG an ideal franchising partner.”

“Marília is an excellent example of the type of city that is emerging and will support the growth of the Holiday Inn Express brand,” said Joel Eisemann, chief development officer, the Americas, IHG. “The country’s growth is generating great demand for internationally branded hotels. The strength of our brands and experience in the region make IHG an ideal franchising partner.”

Located in the State of São Paulo, around 270 miles (438 kilometers) from the city of São Paulo, the hotel is also within 50 miles of the key regional city of Bauru. Owned by Hotelaria Agisol Ltda., a subsidiary of Grupo Bertim, a prominent construction company in the state of São Paulo, the hotel is franchised by an affiliate of IHG.

The Holiday Inn Express Marília will have a modern design, with a strong focus on sustainability, including energy-efficient systems, effluent wastewater treatment plans, solar panels, and LED lighting. The Holiday Inn Express brand is designed to be the smart choice for value-conscious business and leisure travelers. The $1BN global brand relaunch of the Holiday Inn brand family, the largest project of its kind in hospitality history, continues to drive increased quality and consistency across the global portfolio. The new hotel will feature a contemporary image with emphasis on arrival and welcome services, guestroom and guest bath comfort and a redesigned logo and signage.

“There is no other international hotel company with IHG’s longevity in Latin America,” adds Alvaro Diago, chief operations officer, Latin America & Caribbean, IHG. “The roots of our company stem from Brazil, with the first IHG-branded property opening in Belém in 1946. We helped forge Brazil’s hospitality industry, and we are pleased to be an integral part of this next stage of travel evolution for the country.”

Located in major urban centers, gateway cities and resort destinations, IHG hotels have been serving Latin America for more than 65 years. There are 19 Holiday Inn Express hotels in Latin America and the Caribbean while its sister brand Holiday Inn® has 24 hotels in the region.

Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express hotels participate in IHG's guest loyalty program, Priority Club^® Rewards, the industry's first and largest guest loyalty program with 69 million members. Priority Club Rewards membership is free and guests can enroll by logging on priorityclub.com, calling 1.888.211.9874 or inquiring at the front desk of this hotel or any one of IHG's more than 4,500 hotels worldwide.

About Holiday Inn Express

Holiday Inn Express hotels are modern hotels for value-oriented travelers. Fresh, clean and uncomplicated, Holiday Inn Express hotels offer competitive rates for both business and leisure travelers. Guests Stay Smart® at Holiday Inn Express hotels where they enjoy a free hot Express Start® Breakfast Bar, free high-speed Internet access and free local phone calls (US and Canada only). There are currently more than 2,000 Holiday Inn Express hotel locations around the globe. For more information about Holiday Inn Express hotels or to book reservations, call 1-800-HOLIDAY or visit www.hiexpress.com.

Notes to Editors:

IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is a global organization with nine hotel brands including InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Indigo®, Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn® Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Express®, Staybridge Suites®, Candlewood Suites®, EVEN™ Hotels and HUALUXE™ Hotels & Resorts. IHG also manages Priority Club® Rewards, the world’s first and largest hotel loyalty program with over 71 million members worldwide.

IHG franchises, leases, manages or owns over 4,600 hotels and more than 675,000 guest rooms in nearly 100 countries and territories. With more than 1,000 hotels in its development pipeline, IHG expects to recruit around 90,000 people into additional roles across its estate over the next few years.

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the Group’s holding company and is incorporated in Great Britain and registered in England and Wales.

Visit www.ihg.com for hotel information and reservations and www.priorityclub.comfor more on Priority Club Rewards. For our latest news, visit www.ihg.com/media,www.twitter.com/ihg, www.facebook.com/ihg or www.youtube.com/ihgplc.