To celebrate the inveilingShangri-La Hotels launches the “#LovingTheMoment” Instagram initiative to encourage travellers to share photos that tell a story about cities they are in. During the initiative’s two themed phases, travellers will have the opportunity to share their photos that capture the places and food they have experienced.

The website was 10 months in the making, said Michael Leong, Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts’ director of corporate digital marketing. It marks the beginning of a line-up of digital and social initiatives, which the hotel group will be rolling out in the coming year to create richer user experiences for its guests.

“We hope the site will make it easier for our guests to explore destinations, make and manage bookings, connect and share through their social media communities, and allow travellers who have not yet stayed with us to have a beautiful entry into the world of Shangri-La,” Leong added.

What the website offers:

Images that tell a story: The images featured on the new website were carefully selected to illustrate the story of each hotel and reflect the romance of travel and Shangri-La’s heart-warming service. In addition, each individual property page now features a “Your Shangri-La Story” section, which transports travellers to the hotel and destination through a compelling narrative.

Booking made easier: The new website features a user-friendly booking engine, which was tested by Shangri‑La.com users for four months to help ensure a more convenient confirmation process.  With fewer steps and pages to complete a booking, it has never been easier for travellers to book their Shangri-La stay.

Travellers on the go can access ShangriLa.com through the fully optimised mobile versions of the site for iPhone, Android and Blackberry.

The hotel group is launching n mobile app at end June for frequent travellers so they to make bookings easier and more convenient. Available for the iPhone and iPad the app will allow travellers to find a Shangri-La hotel, book their stay, and access all the latest offers. It will also let members of Shangri-La’s guest recognition and reward programme, Golden Circle, to manage their accounts with a few easy touches.

More social: The new website integrates with popular social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Weibo, Kaixin and Youku. This not only enables greater connectivity for fans and followers to engage with the Shangri-La brands and share specific Shangri-La.com content with their own networks, but also expand the reach of the new website beyond its own pages.

Expanding benefits for reward members: The Golden Circle website has also been revamped with increased functionality to allow members to be more hands-on when it comes to their stays. Features include:

•  Chance to fully manage points as well as redemption booking

•  Access to a list of all future reservations at Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts

•  Ability to make online requests and check the status of each request online

•  Submit queries regarding earning points, redeeming points and benefits