InterContinental Hotels Group, the world’s largest and
most global hotel company, awarded speediest Web site in the hotel
industry by Keynote Systems(R), the internet performance authority (R).
Not only did IHG win the top spot but its branded sites achieved the
number two, three and four spots. IHG’s Web site is 60% faster than the
closest hotel competitor (Hilton.com) Web site and over 100% faster than
the speediest online travel agency Web site (Hotels.com).
IHG continues to lead the industry in online innovation. “This is just
another reason why consumers can book with confidence. Customers can make
reservations quickly, get the best available rate, their reservation will
be there when they arrive, and their security and privacy are always
protected,” said Eric Pearson, senior vice president, Global E-commerce,
InterContinental Hotels Group.

Web site speed is very important to the customer experience. Harley
Manning, author of the September 2003 Forrester Research document, “The
Best and Worst of Site Design 2003” reported that fast, highly available
sites build confidence that they’ll be there when needed. Also according
to the May 2003 Forrester Research report, “Who Books Online and Where”
the number of clicks it takes to book a room on the IHG Web site at four
clicks is about half of the industry average.

IHG regularly communicates with its guests to learn what will make online
booking easier, more convenient, and valuable to them. As a leader in
online innovation, IHG was the first to guarantee the best available rate,
personalization of hotel and rate preferences, offer end-to-end online
point redemption for loyalty program members, and first to offer
in-language reservations in French, German, Spanish and Chinese on their
Web site. IHG was voted the best international hotel Web site by frequent
travelers in the most recent Freddie Awards—the frequent traveler’s
answer to the Oscar, Emmy and Grammy Awards.

The new Keynote Travel & Hospitality Web Transaction Performance Index is
the most comprehensive index available today and includes over 25 leading
Web sites in three distinct categories: airline, hotel, and online travel
agency sites. Keynote measures online travel transactions from all the
major metropolitan areas in the US and places its transaction measurement
computers on the most widely used, familiar recognizable Internet backbone
and service providers in the US including Uunet/Worldcom, Sprint, AT&T,
and Qwest.
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