IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) has enhanced its booking facilities for meetings planners with the introduction of a web-based solution provided by technology company, Passkey.
During 2008, IHG will implement the platform across 250 Crowne Plaza and InterContinental Hotels & Resorts in the US and Canada, as well as in some select Holiday Inn properties.
All Passkey tools are to be integrated, including event-specific hotel reservation websites that allow attendees to make and manage their hotel reservations online via a dedicated webpage exclusive to the particular occasion.
Meeting planners are also able to upload rooming lists, automatically link reservation information to IHG hotels and track hotel reservation status through real-time reports that review every facet of the process.
The solution, which is similar to Hilton”s in-house POG (Personalised Online Group) offering (see ABTN 9 May), is expected to streamline IHG”s group reservation process and increase meeting planner loyalty. However, unlike Hilton, the technology will not as yet be available across its worldwide portfolio.
”Utilising Passkey across our InterContinental and Crowne Plaza brands in the US and Canada will provide meeting planners with consistent and reliable group booking capabilities and help ensure their event attendees enjoy the experience,” said IHG vice-president distribution marketing The Americas, Del Ross.
”Gaining brand loyalty with meeting planners is critical, as meetings and events represent a large part of our business,” he added.