Intercontinental Hotels Group Reports The Largest Hotel Development Pipeline In The Industry

ATLANTA (Wednesday, March 08, 2006) - As reported in the IHG Plc. full year results (to December 31, 2005) stock exchange announcement issued on March 2nd, InterContinental Hotels Group, (IHG) (LON: IHG; NYSE: IHG (ADRs)), the world's largest hotel group by number of rooms, reported the largest global pipeline in the industry. With 108,500 rooms (over 880 hotels) in its global pipeline, IHG is optimistic it will achieve its target of 50,000 to 60,000 net room additions by the end of 2008.

"It is impressive when you consider that our global development pipeline represents roughly the same number of hotels that some of our competitors operate," said Steve Porter, president, the Americas, IHG. "In 2005, IHG signed 70,000 rooms worldwide - a jump of 57% over 2004. And of these, 50,000 were signed in the Americas region under the leadership of our SVP and Chief Development Officer Kirk Kinsell."

IHG's portfolio is comprised of some of the strongest and most recognized brands in the world: InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Indigo, Holiday Inn Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Express, Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites. The strength of IHG's brands and their performance continue to attract franchisees and developers to the company's offerings. In 2005, the Americas development team set a new record for franchise growth and launched a proprietary, customizable management product designed to help drive revenues for IHG-branded hotels. IHG's The Hotel Management Group unveiled its new offering The Performance Advantage(TM) to the Americas on March 6, 2006.

The Hotel Management Group has a proven track record as one of the largest hotel managers in the world and the largest manager of IHG brands with annual revenues in excess of $2 billion. The Hotel Management Group portfolio consists of more than 220 hotels in the Americas and takes pride in its ability to provide solutions for any IHG branded-hotel in any place.

IHG's Americas regions showed continued development momentum across all seven hotel brands (December 2005):

InterContinental Hotels & Resorts

With IHG's increased emphasis on the development of its upscale brands, InterContinental Hotels & Resorts has seven hotels in the Americas pipeline to complement its existing 45 upper-upscale segment hotels in the region. InterContinental Hotels & Resorts properties scheduled to open in the Americas during 2006 include: InterContinental Kansas City at the Plaza, Missouri; InterContinental Harbor Court Baltimore, Maryland; InterContinental Playa Bonita Resort & Spa, Panama and InterContinental Boston, Massachusetts. The brand has an additional 20 hotels in the global pipeline to complement its total portfolio of 137 hotels worldwide.

InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, the brand with international understanding, continues its global expansion with plans to open eight hotels worldwide in 2006, including two in China; Chongqing and Shenzhen. In February 2006, IHG announced it will be building the world's tallest hotel the InterContinental Nanjing, China projected to open in 2009.

Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts

Crowne Plaza is expanding its Americas portfolio with 23 hotels in the pipeline to complement its existing 133 hotels. Crowne Plaza continues to differentiate its brand offering with THE PLACE TO MEET and the Crowne Plaza Sleep Advantage(TM) program.

Holiday Inn Express

Holiday Inn Express, the fastest-growing hotel brand in the limited- service hotel category, has 389 properties in the Americas development pipeline. It continues to open an average of two hotels per week, and has grown to more than 1,425 hotels since its introduction in the early 1990s.

Hotel Indigo

Hotel Indigo, the industry's first lifestyle brand, delivers a refreshing, inclusive hotel experience in response to prevailing consumer trends. With Hotel Indigo's phenomenal reception, it is primed for continued expansion in the U.S. Hotel Indigo has three properties open and eight in the Americas pipeline. The first Hotel Indigo opened in Atlanta in October 2004, the second location opened in Chicago's historic Gold Coast neighborhood in May 2005 and a third location opened in Chicago-Palatine in November 2005. The five Hotel Indigo properties that are slated to open in 2006 include: Dallas, Texas; Houston, Texas; Knoxville, Tenn.; Nashville, Tenn. and Sarasota, Fla.

Staybridge Suites

Staybridge Suites reached 75 hotels faster than any other competitor in the upscale extended-stay segment with 87 now open and an additional 79 in the Americas pipeline. In December 2005, IHG announced the opening of Mexico's first Staybridge Suites hotel in Monterrey and plans for a second one in Puebla, Mexico.

Candlewood Suites

Acquired by IHG at the end of 2004, Candlewood Suites has more hotels in the pipeline than any other brand in the midscale extended-stay segment. It has 112 properties with another 83 properties in the Americas pipeline. Within 17 months of joining the IHG system, Candlewood Suites went from underperforming to a high-power brand in the midscale extended-stay segment with double-digit RevPar growth.

Helping further the success and momentum of its brands, IHG's integrated approach helps unify marketing initiatives so that hotels benefit and learn from each other -- while keeping the brands distinct and differentiated to their customer segments. This is done by offering current and prospective franchisees a multi-brand marketing platform comprised of our Enterprise Values - technology, global reservations centers, global sales, performance support, and Priority Club(R) Rewards; as well as, fostering a collaborative relationship with its hotel owners.

SOURCE InterContinental Hotels Group

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