InterContinental Eliminates New 2003 Cancellation, Attrition Fees

InterContinental Hotels & Resorts today it would eliminate all cancellation and attrition fees for meetings booked at hotels in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico between Feb. 1 and April 30, 2003, and to be held before Dec. 31, 2003.

The hotel chain painted the decision as a move to boost confidence in booking meetings during uncertain economic times and as potential military action looms in the Middle East. "We think that in these times of anxiety and lack of decisiveness that maybe a bold move was called for," said InterContinental brand vice president for North America Jeff Senior. "We're tired of sitting on the sidelines with everyone else waiting for something to happen. Travel and business need to resume. Of course there's risk for us, but we can be rewarded for it."

The chain has 12 hotels in the United States, two in Canada and two in Puerto Rico. The move does not yet extend to InterContinental properties in other countries, but Senior said that is under consideration. Unilaterally eliminating attrition and cancellation fees is a move with little precedent aside from the period immediately following Sept. 11, 2001, when several hotel chains did so for varying lengths of time.