Istanbul, Turkey February 2012: The CATHIC event in Istanbul began today with the WTTC’s Marketing Director Geoffrey Breeze outlining predictions for the Global Travel and Tourism industry over the next decade.

“In 2012 the global tourism industry provides 1 in 12 of all jobs, and accounts for nine per cent of global GDP. By 2022, we predict that this will change to 1 in 10 of all jobs worldwide, and 9.6per cent of GDP”, said Breeze.

He also predicted that by the end of 2012 one third of all worldwide travel sales will be made online. Turkey currently has the 7th largest online audience in Europe, with a 44 per cent penetration rate; Turks spend more time online than any other European country.

Issues affecting the Turkish tourism sector were addressed by Mehmet Ersoy, Chairman of Etstur, Haluk Kaya, Chairman of Bekay Property Partners and John Wilson, Executive Board Member of Dedeman Hotels & Resorts,

Ersoy said: “The Turkish government is working towards eliminating visa problems, developing more airports and extending existing ones.” He added that Istanbul’s role as a major hub will also be enhanced by a new airport which will open in 3 years’ time.

Kaya pointed out that there are two distinct tourism sectors in Turkey – all-inclusive resorts and city tourism. Istanbul has experienced a very fast growth of tourist arrivals, from just 2 million five years ago to 8 million in 2011. But this does not even compare with Prague. He predicts that Istanbul will welcome 15 million visitors by 2015. “So of course, everyone wants a hotel in Istanbul”.

Kaya also raised the issue of inclusive resorts which do not generate income or jobs for the local community. “Belek is a disaster. Not a single restaurant in the town even though there are more than 40 four and five star hotels”, he said. There is some investment now from Rixos hotels – but it is an important lesson for other resort locations, he added.

John Wilson added: “There is Istanbul and there is the rest. This is an extraordinarily dynamic marketplace and there is no sign of a slowing down in the growth in the Turkish tourism business. While we’re not immune from Europe’s troubles, I am not worried because Turkey’s unique geography means we can explore alternative and emerging markets to replace lower numbers from Europe’’.

The complexities of financing new hotel construction was explored in detail by Andrew Sangster, Editorial Director of Hotel Analyst Emerging Markets, in conversation with Puneet Chhatwal of Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, Carlton Ervin, Chief Development Officer for Marriott International, Ömer Isvan, President of Servotel Corporation and Peter Norman, SVP Development at Hyatt International.

Sangster posed the question of how much equity the large global hotel management companies were prepared to commit to emerging markets in general, and Turkey in particular.

For Servotel, Isvan said: “Here in Turkey there is a ‘footprint’ race between the hotel companies. Particularly in resort areas, the traditional management contracts are the norm in this market. The big global brands are reticent to introduce different equity models because they don’t want to set a precedent. However, some of the smaller chains are more aggressive and are embracing more creative financing deals.”

Norman said Hyatt has more asset investment than other global bands, with about 20 per cent of its portfolio in owned assets. “We believe that the bricks and the brains under one roof is good. You have to eat your own cooking sometimes, and as owners ourselves, we have the confidence of our other owners. In these more difficult times, we have to see what we can do to help owners get financing for projects, so we may look at joint ventures and ownership options in emerging markets on a case by case basis.”

Marriott’s approach is somewhat different according to Carlton Ervin. “We recently made two strategic acquisitions in Western Europe, to give our Edition brand a presence in key markets. But we do these with an eye to recycling this capital as soon as possible. We also tend to consider this option only in established markets, so while we never say never, we are not contemplating on buying assets in Turkey in the foreseeable future.”

The Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group has long experience of asset investment in this region, Chhatwal said: “We were first to do this in Istanbul 15 years ago, and we sold that asset recently. We also have experience in Tlbisi, Kievand St Petersburg. But Istanbul is not the place to invest these days, as the prices are too high.”

‘’But I think it is a good time for investing in mid-market hotels in secondary Turkish cities and we would certainly use our balance sheet for that purpose.” He added.

The final session of CATHIC 2012 was with Turkish hotel veteran Murat Dedeman, Chairman of Dedeman Hotels & Resorts International and President of Dedeman Holding who was presented with the CATHIC 2012 Leadership Award by Mehmet Önkal, Managing Partner at BDO Hospitality Consulting.

The award recognizes Dedeman’s forty-year contribution to the region’s tourism and hospitality sector.

An exhibition of sponsors runs alongside the conference, with more stands than the inaugural event in 2011. Sponsors for this year’s event are: Platinum sponsors: BDO Hospitality Consulting, Corinthia Hotels, Dedeman Hotels & Resorts International, Hilton Worldwide, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc., Moroccan Agency for Tourism Development (SMIT), Marmara Collection, Wyndham Hotel Group. Gold sponsors: Accor Hospitality, AECOM Design + Planning, Argentina National Institute of Tourism Promotion, Best Western International, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, Horwath HTL, Hyatt International, IHG, Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels, Jumeirah Group, Marriott International, Inc., Orient-Express, Premier Inn, Rixos Hotels, Servotel Corporation, T&T Consulting, WATG.

The Central Asia & Turkey Hotel Investment Conference will run from February 6 -8, 2012 at Ceylan Intercontinental, Istanbul and is organised by Bench Events and Questex Media. Details can be found on www.cathic.com

-Ends-

Media Contact: Strategic Solutions, media@strategicsolutionsonline.com
Sarah Azad +97150 9803810, Sarah@strategicsolutionsonline.com

Emirates celebrated its first full year of operations to Basra today, marking the occasion with a celebratory cake for the station’s employees.

Since the operation began on 2nd February 2011 Emirates has operated over 400 flights between Dubai and Basra, flying thousands of passengers on the route.

“Basra is a strategically important market for Emirates. The success of this destination paved the way for our second Iraqi gateway, opening up a significant new passenger segment for us,” said Haitham Al Battaway, Emirates Manager Iraq.

“We have a strong and dedicated team of staff working for us in Basra who have collectively helped to make this route successful. Since coming online Basra has become one of our most lucrative routes, yielding strong and consistent revenue.”

A total of 43 Iraqi Nationals are working for Emirates across Iraq supporting the airline’s two destinations, Basra and Baghdad.

Emirates’ office in Basra offers five customer service desks enabling customers to book their flights as well as offering assistance with visa application, Skywards enrolment and shortly Emirates Holidays bookings. Language capabilities at the Basra office are Arabic and English.

Outbound, one of the key destinations for passengers from Basra is Kuala Lumpur where Iraqi travellersreceive a free visa on arrival. Emirates also offers an A380 service to Kuala Lumpur with the route enjoying good connection times from Basra.

Since operations began one year ago, China has also become a key destination from Basra due to the significant trade opportunities across the country. India also receives good patronage from Basra due to the country’s strong medical facilities.

Emirates currently operates a four weekly service to Basra and daily service to Baghdad, connecting customers in Iraq to the airline’s network of 121 worldwide destinations.

ENDS-

Contacts

Anna Garcia, Emirates Corporate Communications.

Tel: (+9714) 708 5266,

Mob: (+97150) 9115447.

E-mail: anna.garcia@emirates.com

visit: www.ekgroup.com/mediacentre

MCLEAN, Va. – Wednesday, January 25th 2012 [ME NewsWire]

(BUSINESS WIRE)– Hilton Worldwide has become the fastest growing major hotel company, expanding its portfolio by 29 percent since June 2007 and surpassing its competitors in total rate of room growth.1 During this time, Hilton Worldwide has also added more than 950 hotels to its total global footprint and created a pipeline of over 860 hotels, among several other successes.

In 2011, Hilton Worldwide opened a total of 170 hotels and gained supply share in each of its global regions. In the United States, Hilton Worldwide has over 10 percent of the room supply market share, the largest in the country, as well as over 18 percent of the active industry room pipeline in the planning to construction phases.2

“In recent years Hilton Worldwide has thrived by successfully navigating a number of challenging macroeconomic factors and pursuing an aggressive global growth strategy,” said Christopher J. Nassetta, President and Chief Executive Officer, Hilton Worldwide. “Our momentum will continue with one of the largest pipelines in our history and in the industry.”

Development Success

Last year marked several development-related milestones for Hilton Worldwide, including:

Opening 170 hotels, with more than 29,400 rooms, and signing management or franchise agreements on more than 320 hotels, with over 62,000 rooms.
Surpassing 633,000 hotel and timeshare rooms globally, while maintaining its position as the largest hospitality company in the U.S. by number of rooms.3
Achieving the largest global room pipeline in company history, with a current total of nearly 150,000 rooms:
The company’s rooms under construction in emerging markets have grown from 6 percent in June 2007 to 66 percent.4
Expansion plans in Latin America are the strongest in the company’s history, with the portfolio expected to reach 50 hotels by the end of 2013.
In Europe the company has the largest active pipeline of any hotel company in the region,5 with over 20,000 rooms in 117 properties.

Additional Companywide Achievements

In 2011, Hilton Worldwide also:

Announced 2010 results from LightStay, the company’s proprietary sustainability measurement system, which reported that Hilton Worldwide has saved more than $74 million in utility costs as a result of reducing energy use by 6.6 percent, carbon output by 7.8 percent, waste output by 19 percent and water use by 3.8 percent.
Became one of the first multi-national organizations to certify its entire system globally with the International Organization for Standardizations’ ISO 9001 certification for Quality Management Systems and ISO 14001 certification for Environmental Management Systems.
Launched the company’s global corporate responsibility platform – Travel with Purpose. As part of these efforts, Hilton Worldwide:
Announced partnerships with The Global Soap Project, Good360 and Sundance Institute.
Led corporate fundraising initiatives to support humanitarian efforts in Japan, East Africa, Turkey and Thailand through GlobalGiving.org and educational field trips in collaboration with DonorsChoose.org.
Signed the Tourism Code of Conduct while joining ECPAT-USA and implementing team member training programs to fight against child trafficking in the travel industry.

Brand Achievements

Hilton Worldwide’s market-leading brands and loyalty program also individually achieved many significant accomplishments in 2011, including:

Hilton HHonors reached a milestone of 30 million total members – with over 3.5 million members joining in 2011 alone. HHonors also became the official hotel sponsor of the Chinese Olympic Committee through 2019, which is the first time a multinational hotel company has supported the organization. This partnership expanded Hilton Worldwide’s Olympic involvement, which also includes sponsorship of the U.S. Olympic Committee.
Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts announced the opening of London Syon Park, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel, and several properties that will open in 2012 including Waldorf Astoria Chicago; Waldorf Astoria Berlin; The Panamera, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel, in Panama City, Panama; and Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah, in the United Arab Emirates.
Conrad Hotels & Resorts celebrated its 25th anniversary; unveiled a global advertising campaign focused on the brand’s tagline, “The Luxury of Being Yourself;” opened the Conrad Koh Samui in Thailand; and announced several new hotels will open in 2012, including the Conrad New York, which will debut in the first quarter.
Hilton Hotels & Resorts announced the global launch of “Hilton Huanying,” a tailored experience for Chinese travelers to welcome them to Hilton Worldwide properties, and expanded the program to over 60 properties in 16 countries. In the first five months of the program, the total number of rooms booked at participating hotels by guests based in China rose nearly 30 percent year-over-year.
DoubleTree by Hilton launched its new global identity, opened its 250th hotel and is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its signature chocolate chip cookie at check-in.
Embassy Suites Hotels, Hilton Garden Inn and Homewood Suites by Hilton were all recognized by J.D. Power and Associates. Embassy Suites and Homewood received the highest honors within their categories in the 2011 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study, while Hilton Garden Inn was awarded top honors in the 2011 European Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study.
Hilton Garden Inn launched the brand’s most significant refresh program to date, “Project Grow,” a lobby refresh initiative, as well as the “Hilton Garden Inn Promise Guarantee.”
Hampton Hotels was selected as the 2012 number-one franchise in Entrepreneur’s Annual Franchise 500 for the second consecutive year and opened its first hotel in Asia.
Home2 Suites by Hilton opened the doors to its first property in February and now has seven open across the United States, with another 56 in the pipeline.
Hilton Grand Vacations attained the most successful year in the brand’s history with their highest sales volume ever.

About Hilton Worldwide

Hilton Worldwide is the leading global hospitality company, spanning the lodging sector from luxurious full-service hotels and resorts to extended-stay suites and mid-priced hotels. For 93 years, Hilton Worldwide has offered business and leisure travelers the finest in accommodations, service, amenities and value. The company is dedicated to continuing its tradition of providing exceptional guest experiences across its global brands. Its brands are comprised of more than 3,800 hotels and timeshare properties, with 630,000 rooms in 88 countries and include Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, DoubleTree by Hilton, Embassy Suites Hotels, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Hotels, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Home2 Suites by Hilton and Hilton Grand Vacations. The company also manages the world-class guest reward program Hilton HHonors®. Visit www.hiltonworldwide.comfor more information and connect with Hilton Worldwide at www.facebook.com/hiltonworldwide, www.twitter.com/hiltonworldwide, www.youtube.com/hiltonworldwide, www.flickr.com/hiltonworldwideand www.linkedin.com/company/hilton-worldwide.

1STR Global – Census; Hilton Worldwide statements based on Q4 2011 company financial reports and figures include timeshare properties 2 STR Global – Census and Comprehensive Pipeline 3 STR Global – Census 4 Emerging markets are defined as nations who are not members of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development. Its 34 member countries are listed here: http://www.oecd.org/pages/0,3417,en_36734052_36761800_1_1_1_1_1,00.html) 5 STR Global – Comprehensive Pipeline

Contacts

Hilton Worldwide

Aaron Radelet

aaron.radelet@hilton.com

(703) 883-5804

Katherine Mikesell

katherine.mikesell@hilton.com

(703) 883-5806

Istanbul, Turkey January 2012: Turkey and Central Asia’s hospitality sector is experiencing buoyant growth, showing little sign of any negative fall out from the global economic slowdown, according to Jonathan Worsley, Chairman, Bench Events and co-organiser of the Central Asia & Turkey Hotel Investment Conference (CATHIC) in Istanbul next month (February 6-8 2012).

“The multi-faceted CATHIC region is showing up as one of the world’s fastest growing travel and tourism hotspots, with the sector driving the growth of many economies, including Turkey,” he said.

Indicators show that demand has driven investors to pump up Turkey’s room stock pipeline by 120,000 rooms across 1,000 new properties up to 2015. Flags include those of Marriott, Wyndham, Radisson, and UAE’s Jumeirah. This builds upon 250,000 room keys added during the past decade. Worsley noted that the increase in inventory has been able to sustain a strong occupancy and average room rate.[1]

In support of Worsley’s observations, Michael O’Hare, Managing Director of Horwath HTL Russia confirmed that Turkey is emerging as a favourite market for hotel investment. He said that Turkey provides ideal criteria for potential investors looking for new markets and opportunities for development.2]

However, Worsley was quick to observe that while development has a direct positive impact on tourism and business growth, there is a need for the market to embrace global industry guidelines and standards if Turkey’s burgeoning sector is to remain competitive alongside the lodging portfolios of other international destinations. He said that investors need to work closely with the international brands to help ensure that global benchmarks across product and service are injected and respected in Turkey, and the wider region.

Wyndham Hotel Group is among the growing number of international players moving in on Turkey’s potential. The Wyndham Istanbul Kalamis Marina and the 306-room Wyndham Petek Istanbul are both set to open this year.

“Turkey plays an important role in our plans to expand Wyndham Hotel Group’s portfolio in Europe and the Middle East providing travellers with first-rate accommodation around the world,” said Eric Danziger, president and chief executive officer of Wyndham Hotel Group.[3]

Meanwhile, Marriott International recently marked the entry of its JW Marriot brand into the Turkish market with the opening of the Ankara property last year. A new Renaissance Hotel also is set to open in Istanbul later this year.

Other flags that are set to fly across Turkey’s skyline include Hilton’s Doubletree brand, which has signed 11 properties last year, with a development pipeline of more than 14 hotels due to open by 2014. In addition, Holiday Inn Express, and Shangri-La are also expected to announce properties later this year.

Worsley said that the upcoming CATHIC 2012 provides a timely platform to discuss the future of tourism in the region, and further encourage inward investment.

Key speakers at CATHIC 2012 include: Hamdi Akin, Chairman of Akfen Holding Company; Cevdet Akcay, Chief Economist, Yapi Kredi Bank; Denis Hennequin, President & CEO, Accor SA; Eric Danziger, President & Chief Executive Officer, Wyndham Hotel Group; Angela Brav, Chief Executive Officer – Europe, IHG; Kurt Ritter, President & CEO, The Rezidor Hotel Group; Serdar Bilgili, Chairman, Bilgili Holding; Simon Vincent, President – Europe, Hilton Worldwide; Roeland Vos, President EAME, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide; and Lado Sakvarelidze, Chief Financial Officer, Redix.

The Central Asia & Turkey Hotel Investment Conference will run from February 6 -8, 2012 at Ceylan Intercontinental, Istanbul and is organised by Bench Events and Questex Media. Details can be found on www.cathic.com

-Ends-

Media Contact: Strategic Solutions, media@strategicsolutionsonline.com
Sarah Azad +97150 9803810, Sarah@strategicsolutionsonline.com

Dubai, United Arab Emirates – Wednesday, January 18th 2012 [ME NewsWire]

In an initiative to support developing Iraqi business segments, Emirates has announced a 75 per-cent additional capacity increase between Dubai and Baghdad, growing its services to seven flights per week.

Starting from 2nd February 2012, EK941 will depart daily from Dubai at 07:55am touching down at Baghdad International Airport at 09:40am the same day. At 11:35am, return flight EK942 will depart Baghdad arriving in Dubai at 14:55pm the same day.

“Since launching flights to the Iraqi capital three months ago our operations have gone from strength to strength, on both the passenger and cargo side. There is a significant demand for travel in and out of Baghdad and this new daily service offers a significant boost to this strategically important route for Emirates,” Ahmed Khoory, Emirates’ Senior Vice President, Gulf, Middle East and Iran said.

Emirates’ additional flights are a key element in supporting Iraq’s rebuilding efforts. In particular the UAE has a significant interest in promoting trade and investment with Iraq, as highlighted by the latest trade figures released by the Iraqi Embassy.

According to the Iraqi Embassy, the volume of investments of UAE companies in Iraq reached US $3 billion by the end of 2010 and is expected to rise to US $6 billion in the coming years.

“We thank the Government of Iraq for their trust and will work hand in hand with the Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority to continue supporting the country’s booming business sectors’,” Khoory added.

Emirates SkyCargo will continue to play a critical role in transporting important commodities into Iraq including, foodstuffs, medical products, spare parts and telecommunication equipment.

The extra flights will increase existing capacity by 75% per week in both directions, making it easier for both business and leisure travellers in Baghdad to connect to Emirates’ network of global destinations. Popular destinations will include; the GCC, Levant, India, China, US and the UK via Dubai.

The service will continue to be operated by an Airbus 330-200 in a three class configuration, offering 12 seats in First Class, 42 seats in Business Class and 183 seats in Economy Class.

In addition to Baghdad’s flight, Emirates currently operates a four weekly service to Basra in Iraq and has offices located in both Basra and Baghdad.

Emirates’ first flight to Baghdad landed on November 13th 2011.

Contacts

Media contact:

Shireen Deeb, Emirates Corporate Communications

+9714-7082208;

shireen.deeb@emirates.com

www.ekgroup.com/mediacentre

Istanbul, Turkey January 2012: Turkish hotel veteran Murat Dedeman, Chairman of Dedeman Hotels & Resorts International and President of Dedeman Holding has been named the most influential hotelier by his industry peers, according to Jonathan Worsley, Chairman, Bench Events and co-organiser of the Central Asia & Turkey Hotel Investment Conference (CATHIC) in Istanbul next month (February 6-8 2012).

He said that Dedeman will receive the CATHIC 2012 Leadership Award at the event for his decades-long contribution to the region’s tourism and hospitality sector.

Over a 40 year-span, Dedeman Hotels & Resorts International has grown to become a leading regional operator, and Turkey’s first hotel chain to forge an international presence with a footprint extending to Cyprus, Moldova and Uzbekistan, across 22 properties.

According to Worsley, Dedeman scooped the award following voting by CATHIC’s 30-strong advisory board made up of key industry leaders. “The Leadership Award is presented to an individual acknowledged by the hospitality sector as someone who has significantly contributed toward the development, success and growth of the industry,” Worsley noted.

Among many touch points that have helped develop the nation’s now burgeoning industry, Murat Dedeman has offered his counsel to numerous professional associations, such as the TYD (Turkish Tourism Investors Association), TUGEV (Tourism Development and Education Foundation) and SKAL (International Association of Travel and Tourism Professionals), among others.

Worsley promised that the upcoming CATHIC 2012 will provide a timely platform to discuss the future of tourism in the region and the drive to encourage inward investment. Alongside Dedeman, key speakers include Hamdi Akin, Chairman of Akfen Holding Company; Cevdet Akcay, Chief Economist, Yapi Kredi Bank; Denis Hennequin, President & CEO, Accor SA; Eric Danziger, President & Chief Executive Officer, Wyndham Hotel Group; Angela Brav, Chief Executive Officer – Europe, IHG; Kurt Ritter, President & CEO, The Rezidor Hotel Group;; Serdar Bilgili, Chairman, Bilgili Holding; Simon Vincent, President – Europe, Hilton Worldwide; Roeland Vos, President EAME, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide; and Lado Sakvarelidze, Chief Financial Officer, Redix.

The Central Asia & Turkey Hotel Investment Conference will run from February 6 -8, 2012 at Ceylan Intercontinental, Istanbul and is organised by Bench Events and Questex Media. Details can be found on www.cathic.com

-Ends-

Media Contact: Strategic Solutions, media@strategicsolutionsonline.com
Sarah Azad +97150 9803810, Sarah@strategicsolutionsonline.com

-(BUSINESS WIRE)– Hilton HHonors, the loyalty program for Hilton Worldwide’s 10 distinct hotel brands, announces its More Points global promotion. From now through March 31, 2012, HHonors members can register to earn 1,000 Bonus Points per night plus an additional 5,000 Bonus Points for every two-night weekend stay at participating Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, DoubleTree by Hilton, Embassy Suites Hotels, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Hotels, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Home2 Suites by Hilton and Hilton Grand Vacations.

“As the More Points promotion kicks off in 2012, we encourage travelers to choose HHonors, to take a getaway and to start earning the points that can result in experiences worth sharing – and a higher tier status in 2013,” said Jeff Diskin, senior vice president, global customer marketing, Hilton Worldwide. “There are a myriad of ways to earn and redeem points through Hilton HHonors. Our global promotions present members with fast and easy ways to increase their HHonors points each year.”

A weekend stay entails any night Thursday through Sunday, with a minimum of a two-night stay. Bonus Points earned are in addition to the standard points received per night for the length of the stay. For additional information or to register for the More Points promotion, visit HHonors.com/MorePoints. To become a Hilton HHonors member, visit HHonors.com.

About Hilton HHonors

Hilton HHonors, the award-winning guest-loyalty program for Hilton Worldwide’s 10 distinct hotel brands, offers its 30 million members more ways to earn and redeem points than any other guest-loyalty program, enabling them to create experiences worth sharing at more than 3,800 hotels in 88 countries. HHonors members can now redeem points for any room, anywhere, anytime, including the most luxurious suites, using any of four room rewards: Premium Room Rewards, Room Upgrade Rewards, Points & Money Rewards and Standard Room Rewards. In addition, HHonors members can use points to purchase unique experience rewards, merchandise and vacation packages, make charitable contributions and more. HHonors is also the only guest-loyalty program to offer ‘No Blackout Dates’ and ‘Points & Miles’ for the same stay at its properties worldwide, including participating Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels& Resorts, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, DoubleTree by Hilton, Embassy Suites Hotels, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Hotels, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Home2Suites by Hilton and Hilton Grand Vacations. Membership in HHonors is free, and travelers may enroll online by visiting www.HiltonHHonors.comor connect with Hilton HHonors at www.HHonorsGlobalMediaCenter.com.

About Hilton Worldwide

Hilton Worldwide is the leading global hospitality company, spanning the lodging sector from luxurious full-service hotels and resorts to extended-stay suites and mid-priced hotels. For 93 years, Hilton Worldwide has offered business and leisure travelers the finest in accommodations, service, amenities and value. The company is dedicated to continuing its tradition of providing exceptional guest experiences across its global brands. Its brands are comprised of more than 3,800 hotels and timeshare properties, with 630,000 rooms in 88 countries and include Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, DoubleTree by Hilton, Embassy Suites Hotels, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Hotels, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Home2 Suites by Hilton and Hilton Grand Vacations. The company also manages the world-class guest reward program Hilton HHonors®. Visit www.hiltonworldwide.comfor more information and connect with Hilton Worldwide at www.facebook.com/hiltonworldwide, www.twitter.com/hiltonworldwide, www.youtube.com/hiltonworldwide, www.flickr.com/hiltonworldwideand www.linkedin.com/company/hilton-worldwide.

Contacts

Hilton Worldwide

Scott Carman, (703) 883-5803

scott.carman@hilton.com

www.HHonorsGlobalMediaCenter.com

Central Asia & Turkey Hotel Investment Conference (CATHIC)
February 6-8 2012, Ceylan InterContinental, Istanbul
www.cathic.com
Istanbul, Turkey December 2011: Istanbul looks poised to enjoy a period of exponential growth in terms of revenue per available room (RevPAR) and daily rate (ADR), accordingly to Jonathan Worsley, Chairman of Bench Events, co-organiser of the Central Asia and Turkey Hotel Investment Conference (CATHIC).

Reports reveal year-to-date performance up to September 2011 of ADR growth of 34 per cent and RevPAR of 29 per cent[1]. Meanwhile, other reports suggest Istanbul is the third-fastest growing tourist destination in terms of visitor numbers, surpassing New York and Amsterdam with most visitors travelling from Saudi Arabia, Iran and UAE closely followed by the United States and Europe.

Worsley said that industry figures show Turkey as the hot spot of the region and sitting high on many ‘Top Destinations 2012’ guides.

Quoting figures by STR Global, Worsley said that the hotel infrastructure in Turkey has undergone development, with an addition of 1,868 hotel rooms since 2011.

“After a period of economic lull, Turkey is experiencing steady positive GDP growth. At the same time, the Turkish Lira’s flexibility against the Euro and US Dollar is very reassuring to the overall hospitality industry.” concluded Worsley.

The Central Asia & Turkey Hotel Investment Conference will run from February 6 -8, 2012 at Ceylan Intercontinental, Istanbul and is organised by Bench Events. The conference features a cast of speakers with knowledge and expertise in regional and international hotel development, finance, hotel branding and operations, plus sessions giving perspectives from industry analysts.

Speakers include Cevdet Akcay, Chief Economist, Yapi Kredi Bank; Denis Hennequin, President & CEO, Accor SA; Eric Danziger, President & Chief Executive Officer, Wyndham Hotel Group; Angela Brav, Chief Executive Officer – Europe, IHG; Kurt Ritter, President & CEO, The Rezidor Hotel Group; Atilla Ozturk, CEO & Board Member, ASTAY; Serdar Bilgili, Chairman, Bilgili Holding; Simon Vincent,

President – Europe, Hilton Worldwide; Roeland Vos, President EAME, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide; and Lado Sakvarelidze, Chief Financial Officer, Redix.

The event also offers various networking opportunities, as well as an exhibition. Details can be found on www.cathic.com.

-Ends-

Media Contact: Strategic Solutions, media@strategicsolutionsonline.com
Sarah Azad +97150 9803810, Sarah@strategicsolutionsonline.com

BARCELONA – Thursday, December 15th 2011 [ME NewsWire]

(BUSINESS WIRE)–Le Méridien today presents the first Le Méridien Hub, a new concept that re-interprets the hotel lobby into a social gathering place for creative people to converse, debate and exchange, at one of its most iconic hotels, Le Méridien Barcelona. This will gradually be introduced in Le Méridien hotels around the world, further reinforcing the brand’s award-winning Arrival Experience and Coffee Culture, which have both been implemented successfully worldwide.

Today’s unveiling of the Hub concept at Le Méridien Barcelona will include a panel discussion on the subject of ‘A New Perspective on Creativity’. Moderated by Emilio Alvarez, Director of Àngels Gallery and Co-Director of Loop Video Art Fair & Screen Festival, the conversation will feature JérômeSans, Le Méridien brand’s Cultural Curator and Director of Ullens Center for Contemporary Art Beijing, who contributed his artistic creativity to enhance the Hub experience;Richard Florida, LM100 member and author of The Rise of the Creative Class, the book that validates the audience for the Le Méridien brand; and Ferran Adrià, former head chef of Spain’s renowned Michelin-starred El Bulli and founder of El Bulli Foundation think-tank, which Starwood is supporting via “Ideas for Transformation”, a global ideas challenge competition organised by Ferran Adrià and Telefónica.

“Starwood has long been an innovator in the transformation of the traditional hotel lobby,” said Eva Ziegler, Global Brand Leader, Le Méridien and W Hotels Worldwide. “More than 13 years ago when Starwood launched the W brand, our lobbies became ‘Living Rooms’, and soon after, Sheraton brought people together with the Link@Sheraton. Le Méridien’s Hub concept, which will further evolve our new brand direction, is designed to appeal to the creative class.”

In Europe, Middle East, and Africa, as well as in Asia Pacific – the two regions that account for nearly 90% of the brand’s global footprint of 100 hotels, several Le Méridien hotels are scheduled to integrate the Hub concept into their lobby experience over the next 12 months. This will include Le Méridien Istanbul Etiler and Le Méridien Oran Hotel & Convention Centre, Le Méridien Bali-Jimbaran, all three scheduled to open in 2012, as well as existing Le Méridien hotels in Brussels, Kuala Lumpur, and Bangkok.

In recognition of this new Hub concept, Le Méridien was a finalist in the recent Worldwide Hospitality Awards in the “Most Innovative Concept” category. Designed to promote dialogue, awaken curiosity and stimulate thinking, the Hub can be divided into three experience zones: Arrival Experience, Interaction Zone and Latitude Bar.

Arrival Experience:

Proprietary customer research shows that the first ten minutes of arrival define the guests’ entire experience and establishes their mindset. Beginning with the hotel entryway, high impact arrival art immerses guests into the world of Le Méridien. This transformation is accomplished through a visual work of art created by Le Méridien LM100 members.The experience starts the moment the guest arrives at and enters a Le Méridien hotel, checks-in or asks for advice at the concierge.

Interaction Zone:

From communal seating to coffeehouse style seating, this zone stimulates dialogue, contemplation and interaction. In addition to the unique styling approach, guests and locals alike will find a curated library of books with topics catering to the creative minds. Le Méridien brand’s signature “A New Perspective” event series has been created to engage guests, local opinion leaders, media and associates into conversations around “culture,” and will also take place in this space.

Latitude Bar:

Latitude Bar, with the quintessential espresso machine, supports the creative atmosphere of the Hub by drawing guests to the sights, sounds and smells of the coffee bar, with a skilled barista crafting signature coffees. Guests can enjoy local culinary offerings and experiences inspired by a coffeehouse environment by day and a wine-inspired setting by night.

About Le Méridien

Le Méridien, the Paris-born hotel brand currently represented by 100 properties in 50 countries, was acquired by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) in November 2005. Since then, Le Méridien has gone through a brand re-launch, which included a large scale hotels product consolidation as well as redefining its brand strategy. By appointing a full-time Cultural Curator – French arts-provocateur Jérôme Sans – Le Méridien transformed numerous guest touch points, thus brining unique and interactive experiences to its guests. With close to 80 of its properties located in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, Le Méridien provides a strong international complement to Starwood’s primarily North American holdings. Plans call for dynamic expansion of Le Méridien hotels and resorts within the next five years, concentrating in the U.S., Latin America, and Asia-Pacific, including destinations such as India, Thailand and China. Le Méridien recently opened new hotels in Koh Samui, Philadelphia, Xiamen, Chongqing Nan’an and Qingdao (China), Taipei and Coimbatore (India) and will open in the next 12 months in Istanbul, Bali, and Oran, Algeria. For more information, please visit www.lemeridien.com.

Contacts

Jenni Benzaquen

Director Public Relations

Starwood Hotels and Resorts, Europe, Africa & Middle-East

t+32 2 204 5494

Jenni.Benzaquen@starwoodhotels.com

-(BUSINESS WIRE)– HCC Medical Insurance Services, LLC (HCCMIS), a provider of international medical insurance, released an infographic detailing the top snowbird traveldestinations and their amenities ahead of the busy holiday travel season. The days leading up to Thanksgiving begin the busiest American travel season. Families pack up and head out to thaw in warmer destinations similar to the ones described in the infographic developed by HCCMIS.

Some might prefer to stay stateside and head to Georgia’s Jekyll Island or California’s famous PGA golf courses. Other travelers will be renewing their passports, buying worldwide medical insuranceand packing their bags for destinations that require a longer plane ride. San Carlos, Mexico is a perfect destination for those who want to fish during the holidays while Portugal’s Gulbenkian Museumentices those who want educational experiences during the winter months.

Snowbirds across the U.S. tend to take flight between October 1 and March 31. While snowbirds seek different amenities, this infographic highlights some of the best hotels and most popular sightseeing opportunities. “Let’s say you’re hoping to visit Central America, but don’t know where to stay or what to do. This infographic recommends two 5-star hotels in Belizeand offers up the idea of checking out the Belize Zoo as a place to explore outside of the hotel,” said Mark Carney, CEO of HCCMIS. In total, the snowbird travel infographic details ten different hot spots for your snowbird needs.

HCCMIS hopes you will keep these snowbird travel destinations in mind when considering your spot for a winter escape.

For more information, visit http://www.hccmis.com/or contact us.

About HCCMIS

HCC Medical Insurance Services, LLC (HCCMIS), headquartered in the United States in Indianapolis, Indiana, is a full-service company offering international medical insurance and short-term medical insurance products designed to meet needs of consumers worldwide. HCCMIS is a subsidiary of HCC Insurance Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: HCC), a leading Specialty Insurance group. HCC’s major companies have a financial strength rating of AA (Very Strong) by Standard & Poor’s and Fitch Ratings and A+ (Superior) by A.M. Best Company.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=50089426&lang=en

Contacts

HCC Medical Insurance Services, LLC

Bryant Tutterow, AVP – Marketing, 317-221-8037

btutterow@hccmis.com