Six Continents Hotels and Saudi Arabian Airlines announce milestone global partnership

The Priority Club programme has re-launched with added benefits that make it the most competitive, flexible and easy to use programme currently available in the hotels sector. The award winning programme, the world's largest, replaces Priority Club Worldwide and aims to thank and 'reward' Six Continents Hotels' most loyal guests.

As of October 1, 2002 Priority Club members are able to convert their Priority Club points into Al Fursan Miles at a rate of 2,500 Al Fursan Reward Miles for every 10,000 Priority Club points redeemed. In addition, members will receive 500 Bonus miles, totaling 3,000 Al Fursan reward Miles for every 10,000 Priority Club Points converted.

"Al Fursan members who select Al Fursan Reward Miles as their Priority Club earning preference, can earn 500 miles on all qualifying stays at Six Continents Hotels' properties worldwide, including InterContinental hotels & resorts, Crowne Plaza hotels & resorts ,

Holiday Inn hotels & resorts , Express by Holiday Inn and Staybridge Suites ," said Magdi Samman, Area Director Marketing, Middle East and Africa, Six Continents Hotels.

"To celebrate our new partnership with Saudi Arabian Airlines and Al Fursan, members will earn triple miles on all qualifying stays between now and December 30."

Saudi Arabian Airlines becomes the first Middle East carrier to enter the Priority Club Programme. "The new partnership with Six Continents Hotels is perfectly in line with our commitment to continue to increase benefits for Al Fursan members," said Dr Khalid bin Bakr, Director General of Saudi Arabian Airlines.

The three tiers of Priority Club membership - Club, Gold and Platinum offer members a unique combination of benefits such as:
• No blackout dates
• No point expiration
• Points transfer between accounts
• Extended check-out until 2pm (upon request and availability)
• Guaranteed room availability & complimentary upgrades for Platinum members
• Ability to purchase Gold membership for USD50 per calendar year
• Points you can purchase

Priority Club Rewards offers the industry's fastest way for members to attain the top tier Platinum status and the only programme to count earned points toward gold and platinum levels - including points earned with Hertz® and over 45 international airline partners such as Saudi Arabian Airlines. Priority Club Rewards also introduces instant redemption both online and via the phone, making it easier for members to immediately redeem free hotel nights or a selection of other rewards.

Members earn 10 Priority Club Rewards Points for every U.S. Dollar (or local currency equivalent) spent on qualifying room rates at all Crowne Plaza® Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn® Hotels and Resorts, Express by Holiday Inn® or Staybridge Suites® by

Holiday Inn® hotels globally. At InterContinental® Hotels and Resorts members earn 2,000 points per qualifying stay.

Denis Johnson, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Middle East and Africa said, "Research carried out in the US and UK shows that among members of hotel loyalty programmes more than one third and 35% in each market respectively stated that a frequent guest loyalty programme was a decisive factor in hotel choice.

"By re-launching this programme across the region, we hope that potential guests in Saudi Arabia will choose Priority Club Rewards as we believe it is the most rewarding, flexible, easy to use hotel loyalty programme available."

With nearly 13 million members, of which two million joined in 2001, Priority Club Rewards offers the chance to earn and redeem points at more than 3,200 hotels and resorts across the world in close to 100 countries and territories. Six Continents Hotels owns some of the most recognised hotel brands in the world - InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, Express by Holiday Inn and Staybridge Suites by Holiday Inn - giving members the most diverse selection of accommodation choices - from upscale to suites to resorts to value for money.

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