The push to increase the Hilton Worldwide Resort portfolio reflects the changing mix of hotel customer, now 40% business and 60% leisure.

Commenting, David Michels, Hilton Group Chief Executive said: �This is a growth area for Hilton.  As the demand for our resort package grows, our aim is to offer guests best service in exotic locations throughout the world.�

The new resorts will provide a greater choice of holiday experiences � from the Hilton Evian Resort & Spa in France, to the Hilton Margaret River Vineyard Resort & Spa in Australia and the Hilton Amazon Eco-Lodge in the Brazilian rainforest.

New resort openings planned for this year include:

• Conrad Bali Resort & Spa, Indonesia, April 2004, 343 rooms 
• Conrad Phuket Resort & Spa, Thailand, late 2004, 108 rooms
• Hilton Cebu Resort & Towers, Philippines, late 2004, 250 rooms 
• Hilton Imperial Hotel Dubrovnik, Croatia, late 2004, 156 rooms 
• Hilton Barbados, Caribbean, late 2004, 353 rooms

• Hilton Amazon Eco-Lodge, Brazil, 196 rooms
• Hilton Denaru, Fiji, 309 rooms
• Hilton Venice, Italy, 380 rooms
• Hilton Evian Resort & Spa, France, 174 rooms
• Hilton Seychelles, 65 rooms

• Hilton North Miami Beach Resort, Florida, USA, 190 rooms
• Hilton Santa Fe North Cities of Gold Resort, New Mexico, USA
• Hilton Margaret River Vineyard Resort & Spa, Australia, 156 rooms
• Hilton Krabi Resort & Spa, Thailand, 200 rooms

Hilton Worldwide Resorts has established its resort product with trade partners in Europe, a key source market for many of the resorts.  A positive response has been received from the travel industry with over 30 UK tour operators and over 20 leading tour operators in Germany, Austria and Switzerland featuring Hilton Worldwide Resorts in their portfolios.

Mike Ashton, Senior Vice President, Marketing, Hilton said: �Between 60% and 90% of our 2003 resort room nights, (dependent on resort), came through tour operators and travel agents and our sales teams have developed strong partner relationships - which are fundamental to our success.  We are now concentrating on developing these relationships further and expanding our specialist tour operator packages such as wedding, honeymoon, spa, golf and diving to match our range of leisure holiday experiences, which will provide our partners and customers with more tailored options.�

Customer Satisfaction

2003 guest satisfaction feedback has been very positive for Hilton Worldwide Resorts.  Over 85% of guest survey responses in 2003 stated that they were either completely satisfied or very satisfied with their overall resort stay (source: Hilton Worldwide Resorts Guest Satisfaction Tracking Survey 2003).

Mike Ashton continues: �The best measure of success is customer satisfaction and we are delighted to receive this positive feedback from our valued customers. It demonstrates Hilton�s strength in the leisure market.

�By maintaining consistent brand, product and service standards in over 45 Hilton Worldwide Resorts we will continue to develop our service to customers, offering them the best in the resort sector.�

Hilton Worldwide Resorts� is an upscale, global network of 46 resorts in exotic locations. The network currently spans 19 countries and 7 regions including Asia Pacific, the Indian Ocean, Europe and Israel, Egypt, the Arabian Gulf, the Caribbean and the Americas. Between July 2002 and February 2004, 12 resorts were added to the portfolio including the first Hilton Worldwide Resorts in Odawara (Japan), Phuket (Thailand) and Curacao (the Caribbean); two new resorts in Egypt; three resorts in Arizona and four all-inclusive �Coral by Hilton� resorts in the Caribbean.