Japan National Tourist Organization Contact: Marian Goldberg www.jnto.go.jp/ & www.japantravelinfo.com
[email protected], 212-757-5641 x16 One Rockefeller Plaza, Suite 1250, New York, NY 10020 For Immediate Release All Nippon Airways and InterContinental Hotels Group ANNOUNCE JOINT VENTURE TO CREATE JAPAN’S LEADING HOTEL GROUP TOKYO, Japan, November 23, 2006 – ANA (All Nippon Airways) and InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) signed a hotel operating joint venture to create what could be the biggest hotel operator in Japan, the world’s second largest hotel market in terms of number of rooms. The joint venture – to be named IHG ANA Hotels Group Japan – will officially commence on December 1, 2006. Britain’s IHG, which said it will invest $15 million for a majority stake in the joint venture, was selected as ANA’s partner after a highly competitive process. The strength of IHG’s family of brands, robust growth pipeline, international outlook and established operating systems made it the preferred partner for ANA, while ANA’s reputation for high quality standards and service made it an attractive partner for IHG. Both companies share corporate values and strategic objectives. ANA will sign new management contracts with IHG ANA Hotels Group Japan for its 13 owned and leased hotels (4,943 rooms). These hotels will, gradually over an 18 month period beginning in April 2007, be re-branded to one of the three co-brands created for Japan – ANA- InterContinental, ANA-Crowne Plaza and ANA-Holiday Inn. The flagship ANA Hotel Tokyo will be the first to be co-branded on April 1, 2007 as the ANA-InterContinental Tokyo.