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 Carlson Hotels Worldwide Adds 110 Hotels to its Five-brand, Global
Portfolio in 2005; Systemwide Revenues Reaches USD$6 Billion
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MINNEAPOLIS (Jan. 24, 2006) ----- Carlson Hotels Worldwide today announced that 110 hotels and resorts were added to its five-brand, global portfolio in 2005, while the company achieved record financial results for the third consecutive year. Carlson Hotels ended the year with 922 hotels operating in 69 countries, generating systemwide revenues of USD $6 billion, an increase of 18 percent from 2004. The company's hotel brands include: Regent International Hotels, Radisson Hotels & Resorts®, Park Plazasm Hotels & Resorts, Country Inns & Suites By Carlsonsm and Park Inn®. 

"We are pleased to announce that 2005 was a year of exceptionally strong global growth and record results," said Jay Witzel, president and CEO of Carlson Hotels Worldwide. "Slightly more than half of our expansion during the year occurred outside of the United States, supporting the continuing globalization strategy for our brands," he added.

For the third consecutive year, our global development team realized record growth," said Sam Winterbottom, executive vice president of development for Carlson Hotels Worldwide. "We achieved 136 percent of our systemwide growth goals led in the United States by our fastest growing brand Country Inns & Suites. Our global development teams focused on growing our brands in the key business and leisure travel markets that are essential to our long-term strategy. Building on the momentum of 2005, we are anticipating accelerated growth in 2006 and beyond."

Following are highlights of Carlson Hotels Worldwide growth in 2005:

Carlson Hotels Assumed Management of 12 Prime Hotels

Last spring, Carlson Hotels Worldwide reached an agreement with Hospitality Properties Trust, a major hotel industry real estate investment trust, to take over management of 12 hotels in the United States. The properties were converted to Carlson hotel brands by the end of July, expanding the company's managed hotel portfolio by 66 percent. Of the 12 hotels, four were converted to the Radisson brand near major airports in Seattle, Phoenix and Nashville and connected to a convention center in Salt Lake City; three changed to the Park Plaza brand; and five became Country Inns & Suites hotels.  

Regent International Hotel

During 2005, the growth of Regent International Hotels included the opening of a new flagship property in China, The Regent Shanghai at Summit Center. This new hotel features dramatic architecture in a premier location, and is the newest luxury landmark in China's largest city. The 511-room hotel is owned by Summit Property Development Co., and managed by Carlson Hotels Asia Pacific. 

Also in 2005, Regent continued construction and development of three Florida hotels in Miami (South Beach), Bal Harbour and Winter Park. Additional Regent hotels are under construction in Boston, Mass.; Beijing and Ningbo, China; and Bangkok, Thailand.  

Radisson Hotels & Resorts 

Radisson Hotels & Resorts continued its global expansion to key cities and emerging markets, adding 35 new properties in 2005. Significant growth occurred in Europe, as well as in North America, South America and Asia, resulting in year-end totals of 415 hotels and 96,135 guestrooms in 63 countries. 

A key property added to the Radisson brand in 2005 includes the 428-room Radisson SAS Hotel Frankfurt AM Main in Germany. It is uniquely designed in the shape of a glass cube held within a shining blue disc, and offers panoramic views of the city. The hotel is located next to the Frankfurt exhibition centre and within a 15 minute drive of the Frankfurt International Airport. 

In China, the 47-story, 520-room Radisson Hotel Shanghai New World joined the brand in June. The property, which is owned by Shanghai New World Co. Ltd. and managed by Carlson Hotels Asia Pacific, is the largest Radisson-branded hotel in China. 

In December, the Radisson Fort McDowell Resort & Casino in Scottsdale, Ariz., opened as a franchise property owned by the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation. With a prime desert resort location at the eastern edge of the city, the hotel serves business and leisure travelers alike. 

Finally, Carlson Hotels announced in 2005 the acquisition of a 253-room premier beachfront resort property in French St. Martin. Carlson has invested $60 million for the acquisition, extensive renovations and new construction to create the luxurious new Radisson St. Martin Resort and Spa. Current operations will cease for construction work in early 2006 and the hotel will re-open as a Radisson prior to the year-end holidays in 2006.

"The acquisition of this resort property complements our current flagship resort in the Caribbean, the Radisson Resort Aruba, and offers goldpoints plussm members more destination resort options where  they can redeem their program points," said Winterbottom.

Park Plaza

Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts expanded its global presence in 2005 by adding 10 properties. These additions bring the total number of Park Plaza hotels operating worldwide to 36 with 6,244 guestrooms in 12 countries. 

In April, the brand welcomed the Riverbank Park Plaza in London, England. The hotel is situated on the south side of the River Thames, opposite the Tate Britain art gallery, and provides views of the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben and the London Eye. The contemporary-style hotel has 394 deluxe guestrooms and suites, and some of the most spectacular conference and events facilities in the city. 

In the final days of 2005, Park Plaza opened its first hotel in China   the Park Plaza Beijing Wangfujing. Located in one of Beijing's key commercial and shopping district, the 216-room hotel is just minutes from some of the world's most popular tourist attractions including The Forbidden City, The Imperial Place and Tiananmen Square. It is managed by Carlson Hotels Asia Pacific.

Country Inns & Suites By Carlson

During 2005, Country Inns & Suites By Carlson opened 34 properties in the United States and four in India. These additions bring the brand's global portfolio to 380 properties with 30,631 guestrooms in 10 countries.

As part of the strong United States growth, the brand opened its doors last January in New Orleans, La. Created out of seven historic buildings dating back to the 1860s, the 155-room Country Inn & Suites-New Orleans is a corporately developed property that marked the brand's entry into an urban marketplace. 

Park Inn

In 2005, Park Inn added 26 properties in the EMEA region and the United States. The brand's portfolio now totals 83 hotels and 11,074 guestrooms in 13 countries.  

A highlight of the Park Inn development was the opening of the Park Inn Brunswick, the first domestic hotel featuring the brand's innovative new design concept. The hotel is located in southeastern part of Georgia, and showcases a design concept that is contemporary and comfortable with a bold use of color. The new look is the result of in-depth research and extensive brand positioning work, and serves as a platform for the chain's emergence as Carlson's newest growth brand. 

In the EMEA region, Park Inn started 2005 with the addition of seven hotels in Germany and one in Denmark. Regional development continued throughout the year as the brand welcomed the 119-room Park Inn Island in Reykjavik, Iceland, and two hotels in Ireland -- the newly built Park Inn Dundalk and the refurbished, 19th Century Victorian Park Inn Mulranny. In the fall, seven additional hotels joined the Park Inn brand, including nine located in the U.K., two in India and one hotel in Buku, Azerbaijan.

Carlson Hotels Worldwide is one of the major operating groups of Carlson Companies, a global leader in providing corporate solutions and consumer services in the marketing, travel and hospitality industries. Other names among the Carlson family of brands and services are: Radisson Seven Seas Cruises, Carlson Marketing Group, Carlson Wagonlit Travel, Results Travel, Cruise Holidays, T.G.I. Friday's and Pick Up Stix restaurants. The company has been recognized by both Fortune and Working Mother magazines as one of the "100 best places to work for in America," Carlson Companies' corporate headquarters are in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 
 

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Contact:

Joan Cronson
763-212-1418
[email protected]

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Also See: Regent International Hotels Signs Agreement to Operate the USD $60.5 million Regent Ningbo to Open 2005 in China / February 2004
Michael Fernandez Named General Manager and Frank Fuentes Director of Sales for The Regent South Beach in Miami Beach / September 2005

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