Holiday Inn Express Rio Branco Breaks Ground in Brazil

IHG continues aggressive growth strategy in Brazil with expansion into new city

MIAMI, FL, 2012-08-28 — /travelprnews.com/ — IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group), [LON: IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)], Latin America’s most experienced international hotel company, today announced that the Holiday Inn Express Rio Branco in Brazil has broken ground.  The new-build hotel is scheduled to open in late 2013, just in time for the forthcoming FIFA World Cup in Brazil. When the property opens, it will be IHG’s first hotel in Rio Branco.

“We are thrilled that this hotel has broken ground in a market that IHG has thrived in since 1946 and knows well,” said Joel Eisemann, chief development officer, IHG, the Americas. “IHG is committed to working with our partners in Brazil to develop hotels in growing markets where branded, quality lodging options are needed.”

The 110-room Holiday Inn Express Rio Branco is owned by Inter Oceanica Hotelaria Ltda under a license agreement with a company in the InterContinental Hotels Group. The hotel will be suitably located in the center of Rio Branco’s downtown area within close distance to multiple tourist attractions. The nine-story hotel will boast four meeting rooms, an outdoor pool, bar, a fully-equipped business center and gym.

Rio Branco, the capital of the northwest Brazilian state of Acre and the most populated county in the state, was chosen to be a site of Transoceanic Highway, a major project that connects Rio Branco to the two main ports in Peru. This encourages trade between Peru and Brazil and opens a market for importing food products and building materials, which Peru is eagerly anticipating, especially with the construction boom and the infrastructure projects that are currently underway for the FIFA World Cup 2014.

“We are excited to partner with IHG and strengthen our relationship through the opening of the Holiday Inn Express Rio Branco,” said Tulio Villela Lemos of Inter Oceanica Hotelaria Ltda. “We are confident that the distinguished status of the Holiday Inn Express brand will draw guests in for an exceptional stay.”

The hotel will feature the complimentary Express Start® breakfast bar with a full range of breakfast items, including a rotation of egg and meat selections, biscuits, yogurt, fruit and the brand’s proprietary cinnamon roll and Smart Roast® coffee.  The SimplySmart™ shower will incorporate a proprietary Stay Smart™ Kohler showerhead, signature shower curtain with curved rod, upgraded 100 percent cotton terry towels and a custom line of cinnamon-scented bath products.  Guests will enjoy the SimplySmart™ bedding collection where they will find new crisp fresh bedding which features an attractive decorative throw, a medium-weight duvet blanket and soft 200 thread-count sheets.

“As Brazilian cities use upcoming sporting events to brand themselves in Latin America and across the globe, as well as improve their local infrastructures, we look forward to seeing an increase in leisure and business travel as a result,” added Alvaro Diago, COO, IHG, Latin America and the Caribbean. “Mid-scale brands will benefit the most from this demand as well as the burgeoning middle class that is driving consumption in this high-growth market.”

Latin America’s rapidly rising middle class is leading the hotel industry to experience strong growth across the region, as international and intra-country travel is significantly increasing. A positive supply-and-demand outlook offers IHG-branded hotels a great opportunity to expand in many potential markets.

IHG currently has 13 hotels in nine cities in Brazil, including one InterContinental® Hotel, two Crowne Plaza® Hotels, five Holiday Inn® Hotels and four Holiday Inn Express® properties and one Staybridge Suites®. Most recently, the Holiday Inn Express Maceio Ponta Verde opened one block from beautiful Ponta Verde beach in Maceio in Northeast Brazil. The Holiday Inn Express Belem is scheduled to open later this year and will be located in Belem, the entrance gate to the Amazon.

Located in major urban centers, gateway cities and resort destinations, there are 19 Holiday Inn Express hotels in Latin America and the Caribbean while 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 67 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 http://www.hiexpress.com/.

Media Contacts:
Kreps DeMaria PR
Israel Kreps / Cristina Planas / Ana Maria Colmenares
ikreps@krepspr.com / cplanas@krepspr.com / acolmenares@krepspr.com
+1(305) 663-3543

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®, as well as our two newest brands, EVEN™ Hotels and HUALUXE™ Hotels & Resorts. IHG also manages Priority Club® Rewards, the world’s first and largest hotel loyalty program with over 67 million members worldwide.

IHG franchises, leases, manages or owns over 4,500 hotels and more than 666,000 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 ihg.com/media, twitter.com/ihgplc, facebook.com/ihg or youtube.com/ihgplc.

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