04 April 2011

Prom package takes pressure off price tag for parents

As the UK spends over £30 million on US style proms, Holiday Inn launches £18 prom package for school, college and university leavers

Parents in the UK are spending £31 million on high school proms1 , according to research by Holiday Inn, fuelled by the popularity of hit TV shows like Glee and 90210. As students look for more extravagant ways to celebrate, costs are skyrocketing and now Holiday Inn is responding to demand with an £18 per head prom package at its hotels across the country from 4 April.

With growing competition for prom dresses fit for a princess and extravagant modes of transport ranging from limos to helicopters, the average cost of preparing for prom is now estimated at £2442 per person, with one in ten spending over £500.

Holiday Inn is helping make prom more affordable with the ultimate bargain bash - a prom package to help students dance away their exam worries from just £18 a head. The Holiday Inn prom package includes the venue hire, a glass of champagne, a finger buffet and a DJ to spin the tunes, for a cost in pounds to match their years.

Tom Rowntree, spokesperson for Holiday Inn said: "The increase in US TV shows is having a huge influence with American style proms in particular growing in popularity. Over the past year alone we've seen a 500 per cent increase in prom bookings at our hotels and each year they become more extravagant. It's a time when students are waving goodbye to one era and starting a new one so we've introduced the Holiday Inn prom package from just £18 to give them a night to remember."

The Holiday Inn prom package is bookable at any participating Holiday Inn hotel, for further information please visit www.holidayinn.com/prompackage or call 0871 423 4842.


Notes to Editors:


1   Figure calculated by taking the average spend of the number of students attending proms across the UK. According to office of national statistics, there are 151,790 18 year old males in higher education and 163,170 females. 40% of those questioned are holding a prom this year.
2   Average prom costs £244 based on average spend on outfit, transport, venue hire and food and beverage.
•   1000 people were questioned by OnePoll.
•   Terms and conditions apply.
•   Guests must prove they are 18 or over if alcohol is being purchased or consumed. If 17 year olds are attending, responsible adults will be present.
•   Holiday Inn Prom Package prices start from £18. Hotels may offer additional packages. Please ask individual Holiday Inn hotels for more details.
•   Holiday Inn Prom Package is available from 4 April to 30 September 2011.

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is the world’s largest hotel group by number of rooms. IHG franchises, leases, manages or owns, through various subsidiaries, over 4,400 hotels and more than 640,000 guest rooms in 100 countries and territories around the world. The Group owns a portfolio of well recognised and respected hotel brands including InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Indigo®, Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn® Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Express®, Staybridge Suites® and Candlewood Suites® and also manages the world’s largest hotel loyalty programme, Priority Club® Rewards with 56 million members worldwide.

IHG has almost 1,300 hotels in its development pipeline, which is expected to create 160,000 jobs worldwide over the next few years.

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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