InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, the world’s first truly international hotel brand, and official title sponsor of the ‘Aston Martin Racing and InterContinental Hotels & Resorts team’, winners of the 2007 and 2008 24hrs Le Mans race - France, celebrated its two year consecutive victory here in Dubai, UAE. The main aim of the full-day celebration that took place at the Dubai Autodrome recently, was to give IHG’s partners, corporate clients, media and local supporters the utlimate high-speed racing experience.
The initiative is part of a global partnership, since 2006, between InterContinental Hotels & Resorts and Aston Martin Racing, a division of the world’s most exclusive sports car company. It’s aimed at highlighting the renowned, pioneering history of innovation that both brands share and an affluent new customer – one who genuinely understands that true luxury is about enjoying authentic experiences.
“Offering our customers the chance of a lifetime, to experience the thrill of high performance road racing, has allowed us to embellish the InterContinental brand experience of offering our guests authentic experiences that leave them feeling enriched and more worldly. Although the brand is world-renowned for its understated service and outstanding facilities, what makes InterContinental Hotels & Resorts unique is the ability to resonate with customers by providing them with an insiders perspective of the world that they live in,” commented Haitham Mattar, Director of Marketing IHG, MEA.
In additon to go-karting, live demonstrations of full ‘pit-stops’, a range of Aston Martin sports/race cars were available for guests to race on the autodromes’s track throughout the day. Aston Martin’s 420bhp V8 Vantage Roadster was the popular attraction as were the single seater racing experience. Qualified race instructors trained guests on specific racing techiniques and track-tricks, in order to fully absorb the experience of high-speed motor racing.
The highlight of the full-day event was the opporunity for guests to ride as passengers in the 600bhp, V12, Aston Martin DBR9 that won the 2008 Le Mans 24 hour race,, with its driver Andrea Piccini. Guests raced around the track with Piccini reaching maximum speeds in excess of 240km/h.
Mr. Ala’a A. Rashad, one of the InterContinental Hotels & Resorts’ guests, said, “I enjoyed the various activities, especially the Aston Martin road car driving experience. However the real highlight of my day was the adrenaline-pumping ride in the Aston Martin Le Mans car. It was indeed a once in a lifetime experience for me, one that I will never forget.”
About InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG)
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is the world's largest hotel group by number of rooms. IHG owns, manages, leases or franchises, through various subsidiaries, over 4,100 hotels and more than 600,000 guest rooms in nearly 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 40 million members worldwide.
IHG's portfolio within the UAE numbered 12 properties as of 30 September 2008, comprising three InterContinental, three Crowne Plaza, three Holiday Inn and three Express by Holiday Inn hotels
IHG has more than 1,700 hotels in its development pipeline, which will create 200,000 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.
IHG offers information and online reservations for all its hotel brands at www.ihg.com and information for the Priority Club Rewards programme at www.priorityclub.com. For the latest news from IHG, visit our online Press Office at www.ihg.com/media
About InterContinental Hotels & Resorts
InterContinental Hotels & Resorts has over 150 hotels, located in more than 60 countries with local insight that comes from over 60 years of experience. At InterContinental we believe that superior, understated service and outstanding facilities are important, but what makes us truly different, is the genuine interest we show in our guests. Our desire is to help guests make the most of their time. We connect our well-travelled guests to what’s special about a destination, by sharing our knowledge so they enjoy authentic experiences that will enrich their lives and broaden their outlook.
For more information, visit www.intercontinental.com and www.intercontinentalvideo.com.
