IHG ANA Hotels Group Japan has announced the re-branding of six ANA hotels to ANA Crowne Plaza hotels.Domestic and international guests will be able to enjoy this new hotel experience all across Japan - from Hokkaido in the north to Okinawa in the South.

ANA hotels in the key Japanese cities of Chitose, Toyama, Kanazawa, Hiroshima, Naha and Narita will be re-branded to ANA Crowne Plaza hotels. In addition to a name change, the re-branding will incorporate the progressive introduction of products and services uniquely tailored to the needs of the Japanese market. The re-branding of the six ANA Crowne Plaza hotels will be completed by 17 December 2007. A further two ANA hotels will be co-branded and join the ANA Crowne Plaza network next year.

 

Said Mr. Chris Moloney, CEO, IHG ANA Hotels Group Japan, “The new ANA Crowne Plaza hotels will 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. Our co-branded hotels will gain an international flavour while maintaining their emphasis on offering authentic Japanese hospitality.”

 

“We believe that the local cities we operate in have great potential for tourism growth.  Through our global guest loyalty programme, Priority Club Rewards as well as extensive distribution channels, we are confident we will attract many more guests to our ANA Crowne Plaza hotels. In turn, we hope this will contribute to the economic development of each of these cities. We also continue to enhance our online booking system in order to cater to the increasing trend towards internet bookings among Japanese business travelers,” said Mr. Kevin Kowalski, Senior Vice President, IHG, Worldwide Brand Management, Crowne Plaza. He added that guests will be able to experience enhanced levels of product offerings and service standards that reflect the real needs of customers.

 

In preparation for the re-branding 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 guests. These learnings apply to all areas of the hotel experience, including the meetings, incentives conferences and event (MICE) offerings, a growing segment in Japan. ANA Crowne Plaza will offer extensive expertise in organising important social events such as weddings and receptions.

 

“The introduction of products and services personalised to the needs of Japanese guests will help differentiate the ANA Crowne Plaza brand within the Japanese hospitality industry.” said Mr. Kowalski.

 

The re-branding of ANA hotels to ANA Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts is undertaken by IHG ANA Hotels Group Japan, the hotel operating joint venture between IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) and ANA (All Nippon Airways), which is now the leading international hotel operating company in Japan, the world’s second largest hotel market. The company previously announced that 13 ANA hotels would be re-branded over time to one of the three co-brands created for Japan - ANA InterContinental, ANA Crowne Plaza and ANA Holiday Inn.

 

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 293 hotels globally, 51 of which are located in Asia Pacific, where the Crowne Plaza brand is growing rapidly. With the launch of the six ANA Crowne Plaza hotels, nearly 2,000 new guest rooms will become part of the global Crowne Plaza network.
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