The Priority Club Rewards app was designed for busy on-the-go consumers. The app is available for free download.

“We want to have a mobile option for every mobile touchpoint, and the Priority Club Rewards app for Windows Phone is a continuation of that strategy,” said Bill Keen, director of Web and interactive marketing at IHG.

“It follows the highly successful release of the iPhone booking apps for each of IHG’s seven brands, announced in June 2011; InterContinental Concierge Insider Guides app for iPad in December 2010; the Priority Club Rewards app for Android in July 2010; and the Priority Club Rewards app for iPhone in April 2010,” he said.

“As mobile continues to grow, we are constantly looking at emerging solutions to both meet and anticipate the needs of our guests. With mobile web solutions and native applications for iPhone, iPad, Android and Blackberry and now Windows, we feel we have the future of smartphones covered.”

InterContinental Hotels Group is a global company operating seven well-known 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.

Mobile bookings
The application lets consumers find and book a hotel, as well as view photos and amenities, click-to-call front desk and use their Priority Club Rewards account information to facilitate bookings.

Consumers can manage their account profile, view and cancel upcoming reservations and redeem points for Priority Club Reward Nights.

Additionally, travelers can use corporate IDs to get corporate rates and consumers who are not members of the Priority Club can enroll via the app.

“We need to be where our guests are booking, and more and more they are booking through mobile,” Mr. Keen said.

“The company has seen a nearly 1,000 percent increase in room night bookings from mobile devices and has already surpassed the 2010 total number of room night bookings from mobile devices in only the first five months of 2011,” he said.

Mobile points
From June 30 to August 31, 2011, guests who book using the new Priority Club Rewards Windows Phone app will get 1,000 bonus points for every stay.

“We are working on lots of solutions globally, including BlackBerry enhancements for both leisure and corporate travelers, expansion of  iPhone offerings in five additional languages, a mobile site in Chinese tailored to that market and a new release for our Android applications,” Mr. Keen said.

“In addition, we are ramping our marketing campaigns and locations based marketing capabilities related to SMS and push notifications,” he said.

Final Take
Rimma Kats is staff reporter on Mobile Commerce Daily, New York