First ANA Crowne Plaza hotel to open in Japan's Niigata Prefecture

• IHG ANA Hotels Group Japan signs management contract with RINKO Corporation
• Hotel Niigata to be re-branded as ANA Crowne Plaza
• Hotel marks a milestone as first new hotel signed by IHG ANA Hotels Group Japan
• Masumi Kosugi appointed as general manager

Niigata, 11 April, 2008 - IHG ANA Hotels Group Japan and RINKO Corporation today announced the signing of a new hotel management contract, which will bring the ANA Crowne Plaza hotel brand to Niigata Prefecture for the first time, following a re-branding of the existing Hotel Niigata. The hotel, which is owned by RINKO, will be re-branded as ANA Crowne Plaza Niigata by the end of 2008.

Before the re-branding, the hotel will undertake renovations to meet Crowne Plaza's global brand standards. This includes upgrading of all guest rooms as well as several food and beverage outlets.

IHG ANA Hotels Group Japan has appointed Mr. Masumi Kosugi as the new general manager of Hotel Niigata. Mr. Kosugi, who will take up his new role on 1 May 2008, has extensive hotel experience gained through various leadership roles at Capitol Tokyu Hotel, ANA Hotel Tokyo and ANA Ishigaki Hotel & Resort during the past 17 years. He was most recently executive assistant manager at ANA Hotel Ishigaki Hotel & Resort.

The iconic Hotel Niigata is respected and enjoyed by local citizens and visitors alike as one of the city's most prestigious hotels. Located in central Niigata, at the centre of local governance and economy, the 182-room property is one of the city's leading hotels and celebrates its 20^th anniversary this year.

ANA Crowne Plaza is one of the co-brands established as a result of the hotel management joint venture between ANA (All Nippon Airways) and IHG. The joint venture company began operations in December 2006. Last year alone, six ANA hotels in the key Japanese cities of Chitose, Toyama, Kanazawa, Hiroshima, Naha and Narita were re-branded as ANA Crowne Plaza hotels. Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts is the upscale hotel brand of UK-based IHG, one of the world's largest hotel groups by number of rooms. Crowne Plaza operates 299 hotels globally, 55 of which are located in Asia Pacific, where Crowne Plaza is the fastest growing brand in its segment.

Following the re-branding, ANA Crowne Plaza Niigata will see the progressive introduction of products and services that adhere to the brand's global standards, yet are uniquely adapted and tailored to the needs of the Japanese market. These will include:

• Strengthening of the hotel's event-based services, including the introduction of a dedicated Crowne Plaza Event Director who will ensure the success of important events such as weddings, banquets and conferences
• Addition of new services such as up to 24-hour in-room dining
• Guest room enhancements such as bed linens and amenities based on the Crowne Plaza global standard.

Additional improvements and new service initiatives are also in the works.

Said Shigeru Okamura, President, RINKO Corporation: "The unique East-West formula behind the ANA Crowne Plaza brand, combined with the support of IHG's global distribution system, makes IHG ANA Hotels Group Japan the ideal partner for us. We are confident about the future success of ANA Crowne Plaza Niigata."

Added Chris Moloney, CEO, IHG ANA Hotels Group Japan: "We are delighted to be partnering with RINKO Corporation to bring the unique ANA Crowne Plaza brand to Niigata. As the first new management hotel signed by IHG ANA Hotels Group Japan - and our first hotel in Niigata Prefecture - ANA Crowne Plaza Niigata marks an important milestone for our company. RINKO Corporation is one of leading local companies and this partnership will enable us to capitalize on the great potential for growth that exists in Niigata."

Moloney also said that the ANA Crowne Plaza hotels blend ANA's brand strength and market expertise in Japan with the global strength of Crowne Plaza to offer a dynamic brand offering that is unmatched within in the hotel industry in Japan. The co-branded hotels offer guests an international flavor combined with a continuing emphasis on authentic Japanese hospitality.


Contacts:
Takako Ushio
IHG ANA Hotels Group Japan
+81 3 3505 9626
[email protected]

Birte Sebastian
IHG Asia Pacific (Singapore)
+65 6395 6177
[email protected]

Notes to Editors:

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC (IHG) of the United Kingdom [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is one of the world's largest hotel groups by number of rooms. IHG owns, manages, leases or franchises, through various subsidiaries, almost 4,000 hotels and more than 585,000 guest rooms in nearly 100 countries and territories around the world. IHG owns a portfolio of well recognised and respected hotel brands including InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn® Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Express®, Staybridge Suites®, Candlewood Suites® and Hotel Indigo®, and also manages the world's largest hotel loyalty programme, Priority Club® Rewards with over 37 million members worldwide.

The company pioneered the travel industry's first collaborative response to environmental issues as founder of the International Hotels and Environment Initiative (IHEI). The IHEI formed the foundations of the Tourism Partnership launched by the International Business Leaders Forum in 2004, of which IHG is still a member today. The environment and local communities remain at the heart of IHG's global corporate responsibility focus.

IHG offers information and online reservations for all its hotel brands at http://www.ihg.com/ and information for the Priority Club Rewards programme at http://www.priorityclub.com/.

For the latest news from IHG, visit our online Press Office at www.ihg.com/media

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About ANA Crowne Plaza

ANA Crowne Plaza is one of the co-brands under IHG ANA Hotels Group Japan and part of IHG's global network of Crowne Plaza hotels. ANA Crowne Plaza debuted in Japan in November 2007 with the re-branding of six former ANA hotels (about 2,000 rooms) in Chitose, Toyama, Kanazawa, Hiroshima, Naha and Narita. In 2008, ANA Hotel Osaka and Hotel Niigata will be added to the ANA Crowne Plaza portfolio. In preparation for the introduction of ANA Crowne Plaza, nearly 2,000 Japanese consumers were interviewed to better understand their business and leisure travel needs. IHG ANA Hotels Group incorporated insights into the co-branding efforts in order to ensure that all products and services are uniquely tailored to the needs of Japanese as well as international guests. This applies to all areas of the hotel experience, including the meetings, incentives conferences and event (MICE) offerings, a growing segment in Japan. ANA Crowne Plaza also offers extensive expertise in organising important social events such as weddings and receptions.

About IHG ANA Hotels Group Japan LLC          

IHG ANA Hotels Group Japan is the largest international hotel operator in Japan, with a combined estate of 41 hotels and about 12,000 rooms across Japan.  The company was formed on 1 December 2006 as the hotel operating joint venture of IHG, one of the the world's largest hotel groups by number of rooms, and ANA, Japan's leading airline.

About Rinko Corporation

Established in 1905, Rinko Corporation is one of leading logistics companies based in Niigata prefecture. The company is listed on the secondary Tokyo Stock Exchange.