ATLANTA—IHG will provide free Internet access to its 71 million loyalty program members worldwide, citing research that shows 43% of adults would choose not to stay in a hotel that charged for Internet access.
The program will start in July for Elite members and extend to all members during 2014. Free Internet access will be available in all hotels to loyalty program members globally, whether they stay the night, come in for a coffee or a meeting.
The move comes in tandem with IHG’s plans to enhance and rename its Priority Club Rewards program as IHG Rewards Club in July and introduce a range of new benefits for members.
Internet access is increasingly important to hotel guests and a key consideration when planning their hotel stays, according to new research commissioned by IHG. In part, the research noted 43% of adults surveyed said they would choose not to stay in a hotel that charged for Internet access and 23% of respondents said that free Internet access in rooms and throughout the hotel is the most important amenity when staying in a hotel for business, compared to 7% who chose room service.