By Expedia Guest Author, on September 28, 2005

Hilton International and Expedia Announce Global Distribution Agreement

Hilton International Joins Expedia’s Preferred Hotel Program, Giving Its Properties Enhanced Access to More than 70 Million Online Shoppers per Month Worldwide

LONDON, Sept. 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Hilton International (HI) today announced a global agreement with Expedia (NASDAQ: EXPE) that allows HI to add over 400 of its properties to Expedia’s preferred hotel program. In addition to bringing in-depth content about HI hotels to more than 70 million online shoppers per month worldwide visiting Expedia’s numerous points of sale — including Expedia.com, Hotels.com and Hotwire.com — the hotel program also provides partners a broad range of promotional and merchandising opportunities.

 

Hilton International (HI) is an operating division of the UK based Hilton Group plc, and owns the rights to the Hilton brand name throughout the world, with the exception of the United States.

 

Announcing the new contract terms, Jurgen Fischer, President Commercial Operations, Hilton International, confirmed the deal. “Hilton is pleased to join forces with Expedia in a manner that supports Hilton and Expedia’s mutual commitment to customers. We are very pleased to count Expedia amongst our privileged distribution partners so that shoppers on their sites will have access to in-depth content about Hilton International properties. Expedia is able to deliver tremendous value to Hilton International to help us effectively market our properties.”

 

“By working with great brands such as Hilton International, Expedia is able to provide consumers a great selection of high quality hotel options to the more than 70 million online shoppers per month worldwide that come to our sites every month to plan and book their trip,” noted Paul Brown, president of Expedia’s Partner Services Group. “We welcome Hilton International as a partner and look forward to a great relationship.”

 

As part of the agreement, Hilton International is implementing a direct connection with Expedia. Built on the Open Travel Alliance (OTA) standard, Expedia’s direct connect technology reduces the cost of each transaction booked through Expedia. The technology also makes it more efficient and cost-effective for hotels to manage inventory and rates available on Expedia through HI’s central reservations system.

 

The agreement is effective immediately, and both teams intend to start working to implement the deal as a matter of priority.

 

About Expedia, Inc.

 

Expedia, Inc. is one of the world’s leading travel services companies. With its portfolio of leading travel brands, Expedia, Inc. empowers business and leisure travelers with the tools and information they need to easily research, plan, book and experience travel. The company also provides wholesale travel to offline retail travel agents. Expedia, Inc.’s main businesses and brands include: Expedia.com®, Hotels.com™, Hotwire®, Expedia® Corporate Travel, Trip Advisor™ and Classic Vacations™. Expedia, Inc.’s companies also operate internationally with sites in Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Netherlands and China, through its investment in eLong™. For more information, visit http://www.expediainc.com/ .

 

About Hilton International

 

Hilton International (HI), an operating division of the UK based Hilton Group plc, owns the rights to the Hilton brand name throughout the world, with the exception of the USA, where the Hilton brand is owned and managed by Hilton Hotels Corporation (HHC).

 

Hilton International operates 402 hotels, with some 263 branded Hilton and 139 under the mid-market Scandic brand. Under a joint venture agreement, Hilton International and the North American based Hilton Hotels Corporation (HHC) share responsibility for the Conrad brand, which includes 17 hotels in 13 countries. A global marketing alliance between Hilton International and Hilton Hotels Corporation extends the number of hotels operated by both companies worldwide to over 2,700 — over 500 of which are branded Hilton.

 

Hilton Worldwide Resorts is an upscale, global resort network with a collection of 57 resorts, located in exotic places, making up the world’s largest global choice. Currently, 36 resorts are operated by Hilton International — including four all-inclusive Coral by Hilton resorts, 18 by Hilton Hotels Corporation and three by Conrad.

 

Hilton International Grand Vacations Company presently operates four resorts in Scotland and Egypt, comprising 271 time-ownership units.

 

Hilton International employs over 71,000 staff in 80 countries.

 

Committed to doing business in a responsible way, Hilton International’s aim is to bring a positive benefit to the societies in which it operates through high quality services, economic growth, environmental protection, community involvement and employment.

 

For further information on Hilton International, please visit our corporate website http://www.hiltongroup.com/.

 

High resolution Hilton images are available for the media to download free of charge on http://www.vismedia-online.com/.

 

SOURCE: Expedia, Inc.

 

Web site: http://www.hiltongroup.com/

 

Web site: http://www.vismedia-online.com/

 

Web site: http://www.expedia.com/