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IHG becomes first hotel company to launch app for Windows phone

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By The Drum Team, Editorial

July 27, 2011 | 2 min read

Hotel group IHG has launched an app for the Windows smartphone to enable its customers to find and book hotel rooms, check rates and view or cancel reservations for all seven of its brands.

“Priority Club Rewards app for Windows Phone”, follows a series of digital releases by the group, including an iPad app in December 2010 and an iPhone booking app in June this year.

"Creating a booking app for Windows Phone is a key extension of our mobile strategy, as we continue to provide guests with booking solutions for their smartphone device of choice," said Michael Menis, vice president, web and interactive marketing, IHG.

"Microsoft's partnership with Nokia is expected to expand the reach of its global mobile platform, further positioning Windows Phone as an important and growing touchpoint with consumers. Our new Priority Club Rewards app for Windows Phone provides another mobile booking option for our 58 million Priority Club members."

IHG, which owns the InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Indigo, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Express, Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites brands, is the first major hotel supplier to offer an app for Windows Phone.

65 percent of IHG guests that book through a mobile device stay at their hotel within one day. To cater for this the Windows Phone booking app includes location aware capabilities to assist guests in booking hotels close to their location and navigating to the property.

IHG states that it is continuing to focus on growing its mobile strategy, as the company has seen a nearly 1,000 percent increase in room night bookings from mobile devices and has already surpassed the 2010 total number of room night bookings from mobile devices in only the first five months of 2011.

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