InterContinental Hotels Group has announced the addition of Shanghai Airlines and Hainan Airlines as Priority Club Rewards' newest airline partners.

Priority Club Rewards is IHG's guest loyalty program and is the largest and fastest-growing program in the industry.

Its partnership with Shanghai Airlines and Hainan Airlines comes at the beginning of what is expected to be a tremendous period of growth in China's travel and tourism market. This market is projected to more than triple to $300 billion by 2014, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council.

China is a very important piece of the new global economy. By 2015, China will be the second-largest travel market in the world, trailing only the United States, said Steve Sickel, senior vice president, Loyalty Marketing, IHG. Adding two of China's most popular airlines as partners, and allowing members to earn triple miles, are ways that Priority Club Rewards is providing flexibility to its members around the world.

The Priority Club Rewards partnership with Shanghai Airlines and Hainan Airlines reflects the growing importance of the Chinese market and IHG's commitment to providing value to Chinese consumers.

Currently, IHG has 47 hotels in China, with another 28 hotels under construction.