Inter Continental Hotels Groups (IHG) announced that majority of its hotel will start a 24 hour cancellation policy from this month.
The UK headquartered company’s brand includes Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza, Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants and Inter Continental Hotels was the latest hotel company to join others in the cancellation policy.
The changes in the policy will offer more flexibility to the guest and certainity to the owners. The previous cancellation policy varied by both region and brand but the new change will ensure that the majority of IHG will function under similar terms.
Guests can now have a day in advance to cancel reservations without having to pay penalty if they want to cancel their booking.
The rollout will start phase wise from July 28 in Europe and August 4 in America, excepting China by the end of September IHG’s properties in Asia, the Middle East and Africa will be adopting the new policy said an IHG official.
Around 85 percent of IHG’s Hotels allows same day cancellation policy while the remaining hotels allow cancellation from one day to nine days before arrival.
Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants has a 48 hour cancellation policy in place and it is not looking forward to more changes.
Earlier Marriott and Hilton announced a shift to 48 hour cancellation policy initiating an industry shift how the hotels are approaching cancellations.
Marriott spokesperson mentioned, the revised policy will make more rooms to the available that would have not been utilised because of last-minute cancellation.
The business travellers, leisure travellers and hotel owners will benefit from the proposed update and maximise the number of available rooms for guests looking for accommodation.
The cancellation policy have been met with some criticism but travel management companies like TripBAM made an estimate that the negative impact of these policy will not make a difference as approximately five percent of business travelers cancel their trip with 48 hours of check in.
