NEW YORK CITY – Worldhotels, one of the leading groups for independent hotels and resorts, today announced that Gregory G. Habeeb has been promoted to regional vice president of hotel development for The Americas. He serves on the company’s regional executive committee and reports directly to Tom Griffiths, vice president of Worldhotels-The Americas.

Habeeb most recently served as Worldhotels senior director of hotel development-The Americas, during which Worldhotels added 76 new affiliate hotels in 2010 – the most successful year in terms of business development in the company’s 40-year history. Habeeb was also instrumental in creating a private-label, customized training program for affiliate hotels; and implementing a full-license alternative model, which provides Worldhotels affiliates with the same array of global sales, marketing, preferred partnerships, technology expertise and management support but at a fraction of the cost associated with franchise hotel companies. He also worked with senior company leadership to initiate new quality standards and requirements for selecting new affiliate properties and enhanced the system for measuring hotels’ ROI.

Habeeb’s work in the hotel industry spans 20 years, including several years in the 1990s in Worldhotels membership services and development departments in New York City.  After leaving the company, he was the senior vice president of sales and marketing for Warwick International Hotels, he founded Creative Marketing International, and, in 2007, established and served as CEO of Boutique Hotels of the World, a "soft brand" for independent boutique hotels, resorts and spas around the world.

“Greg’s development success within our company and well-rounded experience in hotel marketing, sales and operation made him very deserving of this promotion,” said Griffiths. “Given his impressive work ethic and commitment to our organization, I’m confident he’ll continue to build his team, create new relationships with hotel owners, and apply strategic leadership and creativity to reach his personal and business goals for 2011 and beyond.”

“Three years ago, my focus was on reformulating the development approach for the company on a global level, while increasing the quality and standards associated with becoming a Worldhotels affiliate,” said Habeeb. “Today, nearly half of our new regional portfolio consists of Deluxe Collection properties, with several more in the pipeline. With this solid foundation in place, I believe the company is ideally positioned to establish a major presence in key city centers throughout the region. My end goal is to elevate The Americas to be a powerhouse in the global Worldhotels portfolio and provide hotel owners the highest possible ROI.”

In addition to his professional responsibilities, Habeeb is a member of HSMAI and the Luxury Marketing Council. He has earned several industry awards over the year, including HSMAI Adrian Awards for advertising and marketing campaigns and Golden Bell awards for public relations. He also serves as a regular speaker at industry trade shows, has appeared on travel spots for CNN and CNBC, and meets with young people at a specialized charter school in Manhattan about careers in the hospitality field. His educational background includes a master’s degree in international finance and marketing, which he dually earned from Syracuse University in New York and the London School of Economics.

About Worldhotels

• Worldhotels is an exclusive collection of the world's most unique independent hotels. Under the banner "Unique Hotels for Unique People,” it now has 450 affiliate properties in 250 destinations and 65 countries worldwide.
• Celebrating 40 years of excellence, the company's mission is to offer business and leisure travelers easy access to a wide range of four- and five-star hotels with character and distinction. Each hotel in the Worldhotels portfolio has passed a rigorous selection process and meets the group’s stringent quality standards. Over 1,000 quality criteria are anonymously tested on an annual basis.
• Worldhotels' guests benefit from an extensive selection of partnerships, including frequent flyer programmes from 19 of the world's leading international airlines, including United Airlines, Air France/KLM, Cathay Pacific and Lufthansa.
• Through an impressive array of global marketing, sales, training, and e-commerce services, as well as state-of-the-art distribution and technology, Worldhotels gives independent hotels the collective strength of a global hotel brand while allowing them to retain their individual character and unique identity.

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