Perhaps eclipsing the news that they have revamped and renamed their guest loyalty program, Intercontinental Hotels Group also announced today that the newly named IHG Rewards Club will grant free internet access to all members, at every hotel worldwide by 2014.
This change will affect 71 million loyalty members and give them all free internet access at IHG family hotels which include Holiday Inn, Intercontinental, Crowne Plaza, Candlewood Suites, Staybridge Suites, Hotel Indigo, EVEN Hotels and HUALUXE.
An IHG press release cited a survey commissioned by the global lodging company which revealed 43% of adults would choose not to stay in a hotel because it charged for internet access.
At VenueQuest we have seen not just an increase in the demand for free internet but also the demand for the ability to connect multiple devices to free WiFi. We feel that the debate over the pricing of internet and WiFi should be over, and the new battle is how to provide the bandwidth travelers need for connecting smartphones, tablets and computers.
To learn more about the new program, please visit IHG Rewards Club.