ORLANDO, Fla., June 14, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- InterContinental Hotels Group has selected realtimemerchant from Global Card Services, Inc., as its newest payment processing solution to facilitate credit and debit card processing. The solution can be implemented at any of the IHG branded hotel properties that use the Micros-Fidelio OPERA and OPERAXpress Property Management Systems.
The realtimemerchant solution is a high-performance, advanced payment-processing gateway that delivers online, real-time control over all aspects of credit card processing through a single Web interface. Realtimemerchant leverages GCS's proprietary systems and Internet connectivity to provide unprecedented performance and control over all transactions and the data related to them.
"Our properties value the real-time authorizations and automatic settlements through a single secure browser portal that the realtimemerchant solution delivers," said Angela Brav, InterContinental Hotels Group's senior vice president. "Our goal is to deliver reliable payment processing middleware solutions that provide excellent support and competitive pricing - and our partnership with Global Card Services allows us to accomplish just that."
"We are extremely excited and pleased that InterContinental Hotels Group has chosen Global Card Services as a provider of payment gateway services," said Mark A. Silverman, president of Global Card Services. "The realtimemerchant product brings InterContinental Hotels Group owned, managed and franchised locations a fully integrated solution with the Micros OPERA Property Management System and the flexibility to take advantage of the most cost-effective card processors without impacting their existing operations. Realtimemerchant is a true Application Service Provider (ASP) offering supported by a central data repository and represents the latest in payment gateway technology designed specifically for the travel and entertainment industry."
About InterContinental Hotels Group
InterContinental Hotels Group PLC of the United Kingdom (LSE:IHG) (NYSE:IHG) is the world's largest hotel group by number of rooms. InterContinental Hotels Group owns, manages, leases or franchises, through various subsidiaries, more than 3,500 hotels and 535,000 guest rooms in nearly 100 countries and territories around the world. The Group owns a portfolio of well recognized and respected hotel brands including InterContinental(r) Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza(r) Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Indigo(tm) , Holiday Inn(r) Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Express(r), Staybridge Suites(r),and Candlewood Suites(r), and also manages the world's largest hotel loyalty program, Priority Club(r) Rewards, with over 24 million members worldwide. In addition to this, InterContinental Hotels Group has a 47.5% interest in Britvic, one of the two leading manufacturers of soft drinks, by value and volume, in Great Britain.
InterContinental Hotels Group offers information and online reservations for all its hotel brands at www.ichotelsgroup.com and information for the Priority Club Rewards program at www.priorityclub.com.
For the latest news from InterContinental Hotels Group, visit our online Press Office at www.ihgplc.com/media.
About Global Card Services
Global Card Services, Inc., headquartered in Orlando, Fla., with data centers in Denver and Orlando, is a leading provider of solutions for any merchant accepting credit cards. GCSs' comprehensive online product suite offers merchants the latest in convenience and benefits that come from using a coordinated suite of products designed to work seamlessly with each other, including two high-performance, advanced payment-processing gateways, automated retrieval and chargeback systems and a centralized customer information repository. In addition to realtimemerchant, the GCS product suite is comprised of chargebackmanager with interlook, the only fully automated and integrated retrieval and chargeback management system available today, inclusive of an online inquiry and document management system, and scanstationsuite , which transforms signed paper documentation into electronic images that are automatically matched to any related data. For further information, visit www.globalcardservices.com, e-mail info@globalcardservices.com or contact sales at 888-241-2310. Global Card Services is part of First Horizon National Corp. (NYSE:FHN).