InterContinental Hotels has won a number of industry awards in China, the fastest growing region for the company in Asia Pacific.

At the 2007 China Hotel Starlight Awards, IHG was named Best International Hotel Company. Its Priority Club Rewards, which has 37 million members worldwide and 3 million members across China, was named Best Loyalty Programme in China.

Edmond Ip, chief operating officer of IHG Greater China, was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award. In addition, IHG was named Best Employer in China's Hotel Industry by the China Hotel Annual Forum.

The China Hotel Starlight Awards is known as the "Oscars" of China's hospitality industry and is sponsored by several leading media organisations in China. Winners were selected based on readership votes and professional assessments by industry experts. The China Hotel Annual Forum, also hosted by key industry media, this year has human resources as its special focus. A panel of government officials and industry experts selected winners based on their contributions to talent development.

Edmond Ip, chief operating officer, IHG Greater China, said: "We are honoured to receive these prestigious awards. As an industry leader, we continuously strive to improve the overall experience for our guests as well as our employees. It is clear that IHG employees the key to our ongoing success. Winning these awards not only acknowledges our leadership position in the China market, it also illustrates our dedication to the development of our brands and our commitment to talent."

IHG is the first international hotel group to enter China in 1984, and is currently the largest international hotel operator in Greater China with a portfolio of 82 hotels. The company has a pipeline of 107 hotels in Greater China, and is on track to have its 125^th hotel open in the region by the end of this year. Of all hotel deals signed by international hotel companies in China in 2007, 47% are with IHG.

A key factor to IHG's success in Greater China has been its commitment to local talent. Since its establishment in Greater China 24 years ago, IHG has been proactively developing initiatives to attract, develop and retain local talent. The company invests heavily in training and development. In recent years, it has launched the IHG Academy in five Chinese cities, in collaboration with key colleges and vocational institutions. The IHG Academy is expected to supply 2,000 graduates to IHG's hotels every year.

"IHG is growing at its fastest pace ever in China in 2008, and we will ensure our success by continuing to focus on building strong brands and attracting and developing the best people," Ip added.

Other awards IHG received at the Starlight Awards include:

• Crowne Plaza Fudan Shanghai – Top 10 Business Hotels
• Crowne Plaza Chengdu – Top 10 Business Hotel
• Crowne Plaza Chengdu – Top Employers in China
• Theodore Durham, general manager, Crowne Plaza Chengdu – Top 10 Foreign General Managers in China