InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) understands the value of recognizing and appreciating customer loyalty, which it demonstrates in novel and creative ways. Along with announcing a new top tier for IHG® Rewards Club, the brand’s esteemed world-wide loyalty program, IHG is commemorating the addition with a series of photographs from Steve McCurry, the acclaimed photographer who has been celebrated for his iconic 1984 photograph called “Afghan Girl.”
IHG, a multinational hotel company that operates nearly 5,000 hotels across almost 100 countries, is now offering “Spire Elite.” The name of the new loyalty program tier is influenced by a “spir,” an old English word for a stalk of grass that out grows all the others and stands as a symbol of strength.
“The feeling that you’re recognized for being special is what IHG Rewards Club aims to deliver to with the launch of Spire Elite,” said Susanna Freer Epstein, IHG SVP Customer Loyalty. “It’s our way of saying thank you to our most loyal members, who from today will benefit from an ability to earn 100% extra bonus points on all qualifying stays across the IHG hotel portfolio – an industry first. This is just the start of a series of exciting enhancements we will be introducing to continue recognizing and building rewarding relationships with our members.” 
IHG states that the addition of this new and very elite membership tier comes after comprehensive research revealed that members felt it important to recognize customer loyalty. And Spire Elite is the brand’s efforts to demonstrate this recognition. Furthermore, the inclusion of Steve McCurry’s photography brings another layer of meaning to the brand’s relationship with its customers.
A series of three poignant photos have been selected to accompany IHG® Rewards Club, which portray emotional images of people recognizing and respecting each other.
“Photography is about searching for little moments that happen in the blink of an eye but can last a lifetime,” Steve McCurry said, while commenting on his IHG Rewards Club photographs. “Each one of these photographs captures how a moment of recognition can do just this. Like a photograph, recognition does not need translation or adaptation; its prominence is understood by everyone, everywhere”.
Rewards members can reach Spire Elite by earning 75,000 points, or by completing 75 qualifying overnight stays at any IHG hotel within one year. The new tier also gives members the ability to earn a significant number of additional points including 100% extra bonus points across IHG’s entire portfolio.
As an added “thank you,” Spire Elite members can also choose between gaining an extra 25,000 points and automatically upgrading someone else to the Platinum level.