InterContinental Hotels Group has signed an agreement with Today Hotels Pvt. Ltd. to manage the brand new Crowne Plaza Gurgaon New Delhi, scheduled to open in the last quarter of 2006. This latest signing reflects a deepening of InterContinental Hotels Group’s strong commitment to India.

Situated in the heart of Leisure Valley, the new city centre of Gurgaon, which comprises an ultramodern commercial, cultural and entertainment hub, the Crowne Plaza Gurgaon will be the first brand-defining Crowne Plaza hotel in India and the only purpose-built meetings hotel in the immediate vicinity featuring 1,000 square metres of meeting space.

“Positioned as The Place To Meet, the Crowne Plaza is primarily a brand that has been developed to appeal to business travellers, professional meetings organisers and conference delegates,” said Jan Smits, Chief Operating Officer, Southern Asia, InterContinental Hotels Group. “The Crowne Plaza Gurgaon is targeted at this segment, which has shown strong growth in line with the robust Indian economy. Travellers and residents alike will soon find a hotel offering the unique products and services they have come to appreciate at other Crowne Plaza hotels worldwide.”

A. K. Khar, Managing Director, Today Hotels, said: “We are pleased to be working with the InterContinental Hotels Group for the Crowne Plaza Gurgaon, a five-star deluxe hotel. We believe that the Crowne Plaza brand, one of the fastest growing upscale hotel brands in the world, will be The Place To Meet, providing premier conference and meeting facilities and services to meet he needs of businesses and travellers in this fast-developing business process management and technology district. We are confident that this partnership will also ensure competitive returns.”

Mr Khar added that Today Hotels is working closely with leading international consultants in the development of this property, and they are committed to building more five-star hotels in other major commercial and leisure destinations across India.

( www.hospitalitynet.org)