Travel Daily | Holiday Inn celebrates 60 years of firsts

Holiday Inn celebrates 60 years of firsts

August 10, 2012

	Last night, Holiday Inn Sydney Airport put on a green-themed bash for hotel guests, to celebrate Holiday Inn’s 60th anniversary. Guests joined hotel staff and representatives from IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) in Biggles Bar for drinks, canapés and cake to celebrate the global milestone. Partygoers also had the chance to win a prize pack including 20,000 Priority Club Reward points, by testing their skills in a putt putt competition. The prize was taken out by Platinum Member and hotel guest, Ian Gillon. Holiday Inn Sydney Airport was the first hotel in Australasia to host a 60th anniversary celebration, with hotels around the world due to hold diamond anniversary parties and activations over the course of the month. Holiday Inn has come a long way in 60 years, from humble beginnings as a roadside inn in Memphis Tennessee in the US in 1952, to now having more than 3375 Holiday Inn brand family properties worldwide, including 17 hotels in Australasia. Here in Australasia, the innovations being celebrated range from Holiday Inn Sydney Airport being the first hotel in Asia Pacific to introduce paperless check-in to Holiday Inn Gagudju in Kakadu being the world’s only crocodile-shaped hotel. In August, Holiday Inn will also be the first international hotel brand to open its 60th hotel in Greater China, Holiday Inn Resort Changbaishan – a fitting achievement given it was also the first international hotel brand to be introduced to China, in 1984. Guest Terry takes a shot in the putt putt golf competition.
	The Maiuto family, happy to have chosen August 1 to stay at Holiday Inn Sydney Airport hotel and join in the festivities.
	Kimberley Sue (guest experience manager at Holiday Inn Sydney Airport) and Fatimah Bahmad (marketing executive at IHG).
	Jarek Wyrod, Kimberley Purcell, Sunil Choudhary and Katie Dykes – all from Holiday Inn Sydney Airport.
	Sunil Choudhary (Holiday Inn Sydney Airport), Stephanie Moore (IHG), Sonia Wright (IHG), Stephen Knight (Fire and Rescue NSW), Lance Griggs (Qantas) and Chris Priest (Qantas).
	Holiday Inn Sydney Airport hotel manager Ian Pirodon at the centre of the celebrations. The two ladies either side of him are Katie Dykes (left) and Kimberley Purcell (right) – both hotel staff.

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