turn off the lights

At 7:30 pm on 28 March, guests of the 50 InterContinental, Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn hotels and resorts across Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific will be encouraged to turn off the lights in more than 11,000 rooms, as part of the WWF's (World Wildlife Fund) Earth Hour 2009.

With hotel restaurants, bars and lobbies also participating in the rapidly-growing event, IHG is supporting Earth Hour's objective of raising awareness of climate change issues and their effect on our planet.

As the WWF strives to secure one billion votes for action against climate change ahead of the 2009 Global Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, IHG ANZSP has swung its considerable network of hotels and resorts behind the cause.

"IHG was the first international hotel company to get behind Earth Hour, when InterContinental Sydney signed up to the inaugural Earth Hour in March 2007. In two years, this commitment has grown to encompass our entire collection of hotels across Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Papua New Guinea and French Polynesia" said IHG ANZSP chief operating officer, Bruce McKenzie.

"We know hotels consume significant natural resources, and have been working for years to reduce the environmental impact of our hotels and resorts. Earth Hour is a fantastic initiative that raises awareness of the dangers of unchecked consumption and rallies the world to get behind a common cause, for a single hour each year. We'll be strongly urging our guests to get behind Earth Hour and show their support," Bruce said.

For more information on Earth Hour 2009, visit www.earthhour.org.