IHG urges Russia to ease Visa restrictions after UEFA success

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) - which accommodated the victorious Manchester United team in its Crowne Plaza Moscow World Trade Centre - is calling on the Russian authorities to relax entry visa restrictions after its highly successful handling of the Uefa Champions League final.

"The Russian authorities have done a sterling job fast-tracking its complex visa process to ensure the 50,000 British soccer fans who went to Moscow could get there at short notice. We applaud their actions," said Robin Wicks, IHG's Chief Operating Officer Continental Europe.

"This goes to show it can be done. But Russia's current visa process is simply far too slow and is seriously hampering the emerging tourist trade. By adopting similar measures to those used for the Manchester United and Chelsea fans, the volume of tourism traffic could dramatically rise."

Manchester United took 150 rooms at IHG's Crowne Plaza Moscow World Trade Centre, one of six hotels IHG has open in the emerging Russian market. It also has a further ten hotels signed and in its development pipeline.

"The passenger flow at Moscow international airports is booming; up from 19 million in 2002 to more than 33 million in 2006 - and planned airport expansion will increase capacity to more than 85 million by 2012. Russia is gearing up for a surge in tourism. Lifting the visa restrictions and embracing low-cost airlines will spark that boom. It's the perfect time to do it," said Wicks. 

For further information please contact:

Andrew Smith
PR Director EMEA
+ 44 (0) 1753 410 346
[email protected]

Suzanne Seyghal
PR Manager EMEA
+44 (0) 1753 410247
[email protected]

Notes to Editors:

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) [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 590,000 guest rooms in nearly 100 countries and territories around the world The Group 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.

IHG pioneered the travel industry’s first collaborative response to environmental issues as founder of the International Hotels and Environment Initiative (IHEI). The environment and local communities remain at the heart of IHG’s global corporate responsibility focus. We’re the first major hotel group to have measured our environmental and carbon footprints and we’re in the process of setting reduction targets.

With more than 1,600 hotels in its development pipeline, IHG needs to find around 150,000 people over the next few years to meet its global expansion plans.

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the group’s holding company and is incorporated in Great Britain and registered in England and Wales.

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