InterContinental Hotels & Resorts partners with National Geographic and UNESCO for Responsible Business Week 2012

2012-09-19 — /travelprnews.com/ — InterContinental Hotels & Resorts today embarks on a week-long programme of activities around the world to help protect and preserve unique and cultural heritage sites as part of Responsible Business Week 2012. This marks the third year of InterContinental’s Responsible Business Week in partnership with National Geographic.

The theme for Responsible Business Week 2012 is inspired by National Geographic’s support of UNESCO’s World Heritage and sustainable tourism initiative ‘People Protecting Places’. During Responsible Business Week, InterContinental properties are being invited to emulate UNESCO’s mission to protect and preserve unique natural and cultural heritage sites close to their hotels. 2012 marks the 40^th anniversary of the World Heritage Convention during which special focus is placed on the links between World Heritage and sustainable development, and in particular the role played by local communities.

“Hotels play an important role in communities all around the world. We’re thrilled that InterContinental Hotels & Resorts is making such a commitment to looking after their local heritage sites via Responsible Business Week for the third year in a row, and we’re looking forward to working with the hotels in the conservation of a number of UNESCO’s World Heritage sites beyond this week,” says Kimberly Connaghan, V.P. National Geographic Global Media, Travel, and publisher of National Geographic Traveler magazine.

David Jerome, Senior Vice President of Corporate Responsibility, IHG says: “IHG understands that acting responsibly reinforces trust in our brands, builds competitive advantage and strengthens our corporate reputation whilst doing the right thing for our communities. And with hotels all over the world, we have a tremendous opportunity to make travel and tourism more responsible and successful”.

Simon Scoot, Vice President Global Brands, InterContinental / IHG Global Resorts, says: “We know that our customers want to stay with brands that are responsible, and that is why we want to do things in a responsible way. One of the ways in which we demonstrate this is our long term partnership with National Geographic, and now UNESCO. Responsible Business Week is a special time when we come together as a brand to make a difference all over the World “.

In 2011, InterContinental Hotels & Resorts around the world dedicated more than 10,000 hours to Responsible Business Week activities aimed at preserving the communities where they operate. Activities ranged from cleaning local beaches and historical villages and monuments, restoration projects at national parks, to refreshing urban street walks.

For more information on InterContinental Hotels & Resorts activities for Responsible Business Week 2012, please see www.facebook.com/intercontinental.

Media contact:

Joanna James, IHG
+44 (0) 1895 512 112, joanna.james@ihg.com
Notes to Editors:

IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is a global organisation 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 programme 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.com for more on Priority Club Rewards. For our latest news, visit ihg.com/media, twitter.com/ihgplc, facebook.com/ihg or youtube.com/ihgplc.

About National Geographic

The National Geographic Society is one of the world’s largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations. Founded in 1888 to “increase and diffuse geographic knowledge,” the Society’s mission is to inspire people to care about the planet. It reaches more than 400 million people worldwide each month through its official journal, National Geographic, and other magazines; National Geographic Channel; television documentaries; music; radio; films; books; DVDs; maps; exhibitions; live events; school publishing programs; interactive media; and merchandise. National Geographic has funded more than 10,000 scientific research, conservation and exploration projects and supports an education program promoting geographic literacy. For more information, visit www.nationalgeographic.com.

About UNESCO
(United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization)

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization works with countries around the world to identify and protect cultural and natural places that merit recognition as part of the common heritage of humankind. This year, the World Heritage Convention celebrates its 40^th anniversary.

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