Name: David Canty
Title: Vice president loyalty programs
Company, city: InterContinental Hotels Group; Atlanta, Ga.
Number of employees: More than 300,000 globally, including hotels
Recent project: We launched a Stay Preferences program last year that gives members an easy way to tell us about what they prefer when they travel.
First job: I worked as a farm laborer during the summers in Ireland: bailing hay, cutting corn, picking potatoes and carrots and even milking cows.
Little-known fact about you: I grew up in the pub industry in Ireland. My great-grandfather opened Canty’s Bar in Cork in 1892. My grandfather and then my dad ran it until it was sold. It is still there, so if your travels take you to Cork, drop in for a pint.
About Your Business
What innovations/initiatives do you foresee in the industry over the next years? Increased nimbleness through technology: More members search, book and manage stays through mobile devices than through desktop computers. On our horizon are mobile keys plus checking in and checking out, managing in-room settings and ordering room service via in-room artificial intelligence, like our current trial with Amazon Echo. We also continue to customize rewards for member loyalty, adding partners such as Amazon and Apple, where members receive free Kindle books and earn points for purchases of some Apple products.
Best career advice you’ve received: Be true to yourself and love what you do!
What advice would you give someone starting out in the field? Immerse yourself in what you do, love it and be passionate about it. Learn as much as you can and share your knowledge with those you work with and those who want to learn from you.
David Canty as a Traveler
Favorite travel memory or story: At 19 I backpacked through northern Italy. I stayed in a guest house in La Spezia the night before hiking the Cinque Terre. Armed with my English-Italian dictionary, I joined a group of elderly gentlemen discussing a televised football game. Hours later, after a few glasses of wine, the dictionary discarded, I was still having wonderful discussions and lots of laughs.
One travel tip you cannot live without: Carry a small amount of local currency. Turn off your data roaming unless you have an international plan. Go off the beaten path and experience the local culture.
Best advice for business travelers: Download the IHG App to manage your stay and preferences and access tools like sleep tips, neighborhood guides and a translation app. We value business travelers and want them to feel a sense of true hospitality. From pillow preference to check-in time, they can share as much or as little with us ahead of their stay. Our hotels have the information handy when they arrive, and we can often exceed their expectations.
About InterContinental Hotels Group
What member benefits can premium travelers expect from IHG Rewards Club? All members enjoy no blackout dates for reward nights; earn faster rewards by combining points and cash; save money and earn points when booking with Your Rate; earn points through our partners for activities like renting a car, buying flowers, shopping and dining; and bid for amazing experiences through IHG Rewards Club auctions. Our elite tiers (Gold Elite, Platinum Elite and Spire Elite) enjoy unique benefits, from complimentary room upgrades and rollover nights to special welcome amenities. Our most loyal Spire Elite members can grant or gift Platinum status to a friend; they receive a welcome benefit and become eligible for Gold Status with our car rental partner, Hertz.
Tell our readers about some of IHG Rewards Club partner companies and upcoming promotions. IHG Rewards Club offers countless opportunities to earn points and redeem rewards, from reward nights at IHG hotels worldwide to music downloads, electronics, gift cards and more via its online redemption catalogue. Our exciting partnerships expand the benefits, including the IHG Rewards Club Credit Card by Chase, one of the most generous hotel co-branded cards in the industry. Members also save every time they fill up at participating Shell stations and save and earn points on every Hertz car rental. Crowne Plaza guests now receive a free download from Audible, a partnership we look to expand.
What can members expect from IHG Rewards Club in the future? We aim to be a personal program with incredible member choice. We will increase our capabilities so members have their own options for rewards they value most. From the partners we work with to knowing your wine preference, we will enable you to have membership on your terms made even easier via digital technology.
Read This Next
Pernod
December 2017
Dec 1, 2017All Reads on This Topic
Read Them All
Introducing
FX Excursions
FX Excursions offers the chance for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in destinations around the world.
#globility
Insta FeedDaily
Mar 28, 2024New Adriatic Yacht Cruise and Tour Itineraries Unveiled for 2025
Set sail through crystal-clear waters and explore ports, islands and more on three new yacht cruise and tour itineraries in the Adriatic Sea from Riviera River Cruises. New 2025 itineraries combine yacht cruises with onboard accommodations and land extensions with hotel stays in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Itineraries also include tours of charming coastal towns and stops in national parks and swimming hole locations.
Sponsored Content
Why Buy Trip Cancellation Insurance?
Don’t risk losing all the money you’ve spent if you must cancel your trip at the last minute. Allianz Travel Insurance can give you:
March 2024
Mar 28, 2024Cruise Lines Elevate the Onboard Fine-Dining Experience
It’s been a long time since the food on cruise ships resembled the bland, uninspired fare that gave onboard dining a bad name. These days, cruise passengers can look forward to menus created by Michelin-starred chefs made with top-quality ingredients served in stunning spaces. Choices abound as well. In addition to elegant main dining rooms, cruise ships have created a huge array of specialty restaurants that focus not only on perfectly executed traditional European and North American dishes but flavors and experiences from around the globe as well. In fact, meals served aboard cruise vessels have gotten so good, they’re drawing passengers onto ships: According to a recent report by luxury travel planning network Virtuoso, advisors report after Europe (specifically Italy and France), the No. 2 dining destination for travelers is aboard an ocean or river cruise. “This shows how cruise lines have really stepped up their culinary game, with consulting chefs and new restaurants and making that a focal point,” said Misty Belles, vice president, Global Public Relations, Virtuoso.
Daily
Mar 28, 2024Athens’ National Museum of Contemporary Art Opens What if Women Ruled the World? Exhibition
National Museum of Contemporary Art Athens was founded in 1997 and is supervised and subsidized by the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports. The museum began its operation in 2000, when it acquired the first artwork of its collection and the first temporary exhibition took place.
Daily
Mar 28, 2024AmaWaterways Debuts Specialty Summer Cruises in Europe
AmaWaterways recently unveiled its lineup of experiences and exclusive offers for its 2024 Summer European river cruise season, and the list includes 20 Celebration of Wine Cruises, with two hosted by Samantha Brown and Chef Joanne Weir; and three Loyalty Appreciation Cruises.
Hotel Indigo La Paz Puerta Cortés Review
eFlyer Reviews
Mar 27, 2024Japan Airlines Purchases 32 Airbus, 10 Boeing
eFlyer News
Mar 27, 2024eFlyer News
Mar 27, 2024China Airlines Expands North American Network with Non-Stop Flights to Seattle
China Airlines will begin offering non-stop flights to Seattle (SEA) from Taipei (TPE) starting July 14. The new route expands the carrier’s passenger services to the northwestern United States by offering five weekly flights via the Airbus A350-900.
Sponsored Content
Share Your Travel Preferences with Global Traveler in a Short Survey & Win
Learning more about our readers’ travel habits and preferences ensures Global Traveler delivers the content you desire. As the travel industry has adapted and changed over the last few years, it’s more important than ever to connect. To best meet your short- and long-term travel content needs, please help us!
eFlyer Deals
Mar 27, 2024Sleep Sanctuary at Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort
In West Florida, indulge in a stay at Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort. This season, the hotel’s Sleep Sanctuary offer promises premium, beachfront accommodations; and sleep-enhancing amenities. Amenities include two aroma bracelets, a handmade soap, a bath bomb and foaming sugar scrub from Artful Soap Co.
ShareThis