i don't expect we will, until we start getting data points here, and elsewhere. they've been saying the top 1% for years, even when they published the 60/20/3. i don't disagree, i think they'll continue with the same mantra, whilst evaluating revenue, and most probably profitability, v nights^

IHG must monitor FT and/or LoyaltyLobby.

The 'discovered' ambassador.pdf document is now a protected url/file, although those aware yesterday already have downloaded it nodoubt.

IHG have not protected the powerpoint pptx file or the magazine file though.

interesting, yes, they have their reps on FT as well, is it IHG Care agents? i think also on InsideFlyer, the old Milepoint, if IIRC.

i saw it on other blogs today, including Gary Leff's View From The Wing.

Great, everybody is going revenue-based.

So being royal getting a new definition.

heading off today for summer, woke to this nice surprise.


Sent: Tuesday, June 14,
Subject: InterContinental Ambassador
Dear Mr. O'Brien,

Thank you for taking the time to contact the InterContinental Ambassador Service Center.

We would like to take this opportunity to clarify that Royal Ambassador status is extended by invitation only to the top one percent tier of InterContinental Ambassador guests, based on the number of InterContinental properties they have visited and qualifying nights they have completed during the past year.

Nevertheless, as customer courtesy, we would be glad to reinstate your Royal Ambassador status for one (1) year provided that you stay for 60 nights until August this year (per our last conversation). Please note that this is an exception on your account as a valued member.

Sincerely,

That's great, Tim. Glad it worked out ^

thks, the interesting thing is all i wanted was for my ambassador clock to have renewed in Jan when i attempted to, couldn't do it online, so phoned a few times, spoke to a supervisor, she couldn't process either, but i didn't want to lose my 34/24/4 since Aug last year, so they've agreed on the manual count of those, and just 26 nights to trigger RA that i'll do by mid July, so pretty nice outcome. ironic that it's still about 60 nights^

New RA qualifying criteria based on IC Revenue
 

For those not following the "New RA qualifying criteria based on nights" thread,

It looks like Intercontinental are now basing Royal Ambassador on spend at IC properties exclusively.

Being phased in.

Good news for IC stayers.

Excluding longtem stays, I am sure very low %age of RAs qualified on 60/60/3 100% IC nights, as even if money no object IC branded hotel coverage is variable.

We already know many RAs try renewing with minimum nn/20/3 IC brand nights. I struggle to hit much more than 30nights most years as a UK non-USA/CHINA IHGer

So not totally good news unless you conveniently live/work/travel to where multiple ICs are located.
Reason a mix of hotels was historically needed and allowed is due to relatively small number of IC locations and a very uneven concentration of the IC's. Whilst new IC's are signed+opened that is mostly outside Europe where we have actually lost some IC's recently.
Apart from USA and China one needs travel abroad for enough IC nights and revenue (Yes France has a few but not really in business locations)

pdf says in future "qual of RA by revenue value of IC stays only" but revenue model change will be phased in.
.....At least for next 12months and probably 18-24months qualification is going to be given on nights same as now (IC and non-IC) but with a higher IC nights component over the previous low 20nights. Pure revenue RA qual method to count from right now hopefully

If you book suites, or stay in the priceier cities London/Paris/Amsterdam/HongKong/NewYork then on pure revenue basis one needs less nights, maybe just 20-25 IC nights and those of us outside China/USA will no longer need to flesh out totals at poorer (sometomes inadequate) CP+HI hotels.

I hopefully see myself retaining RA via this new revenue model at lower total IHG expenditure, due to no longer needing to spend for unwanted CP/HI nights on top of planned IC nights. ^ :)

Like most things I don't think IHG have really thought this through carefully enough,
ie what happens when RA's like myself who probably re-qualify as RA on revenue of 30x IC nights, drop the non-needed other-brand nights.
Total RA revenue then decreases which IHG will notice in 24months time. So IHG will then have to credit RAs for non-IC night's again in some fashion to restore those lost stays

Not really.

from the perspective of if you predominately stay at IC properties versus the other IHG brands.

i guess in fairness, it does depend on the revenue thresholds.

i don't disagree with most of what you've stated.

one point i've never had any problems with is long term stays on negotiated rates.

i've never had a problem not having them count for qualifying nights/stays, and points etc, so i wld see the revenue model the same, as long as that's the deal with the property to have it processed as a qualifying stay. you always have to have it broken down into four week invoices, as their billing system is limited to four to six week maximum.

Revenue based makes a lot of sense to earn status. Consequence is, booking more expensive rooms/suites yields status more 'easily'.

But, once qualified, if you modify your stay pattern, and book entry level rooms, in order to capitalise on upgrade perk, your spend plummets, and you will be 'punished' by not requalifying.

true i expect for many, although i nearly always take a conservative approach, particularly at properties i haven't stayed at previously, research the room structure, and book a room or suite, two levels under where i want to end up, unless it's a property where i know the management, or one i know where they give multiple level upgrades.

My non IC stays will drop off a cliff once the new criteria is in effect. I make something of an effort now to stay at borderline IHG properties to ease RA qualification. If the trigger value is somewhere in the ballpark of $15K then I would be quite happy and then just stay at the lesser IHG brands when a particular property suited me.

This is great news given that my free HH Diamond will end next year, so I can bump up my Hilton stays.