• by Tanya Gazdik , November 9, 2010

The InterContinental Hotels Group is launching a promotion exclusively on Twitter tied to the big shopping day.

The Atlanta-based company is calling it "the hotel industry's largest Twitter exclusive Black Friday deal." IHG's more than 3,100 U.S. locations will participate in the Black Friday frenzy.

People must follow IHG on Twitter to uncover the link where they can find the deal (www.ihg.com/50Free). The goal of the promotion is two-fold: to reward current customers and reach new ones, according to Del Ross, IHG vice president, U.S. sales and marketing.

"Launching our first Twitter-exclusive promotion is one of the ways we're embracing new media and engaging customers in a new way," Ross tells Marketing Daily.

Called "50 Free Friday," the promotion complements IHG's current offerings, "Sweet Dilemma," which rewards customers with free nights or double Priority Club points, and "Check it Free," which reimburses customers for their checked baggage fees.

Through Nov. 29, people can uncover the link to IHG's Black Friday deal by following @IHG_Deals on Twitter and looking for tweets that direct them to a limited-time link with the Black Friday deal where they can register for the promotion.

The deal will give U.S. travelers $50 off any flight on any airline to any destination through April 30, when they stay at least one weekend night at any InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, Hotel Indigo, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Club Vacations, Holiday Inn Express, Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites in the U.S.

In addition, followers of @IHG_Deals will have a chance to win a $50 prepaid retail gift card when they retweet #50FreeFriday tweets.