According to data collected by HMC�s ClubCentral tracking application, HMC program members averaged the same number of covers at the dining facilities of these hotels during January and February of 2003 as they did in January and February of 2002, however, members increased their spending per cover by over 7% from a year earlier.  HMC�s Loyalty Marketing index for the Middle East includes 4- and 5-start hotels in Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and United Arab Emirates.

�We were not surprised by the results,� said Mokhtar Ramadan, CEO of HMC.  �We build a hotel�s membership program largely with people who live or work near the property, people who will not be dependent on air travel to get to the hotel.  We offer these customers, mostly local business persons, discounts and other benefits to use hotel�s facilities.�

�The data shows that the membership base we build for a hotel provides consistent revenue even if there is an overall decrease in business travel spending,� said Robert Fadel, HMC�s Vice-President and Area Director for the Middle East and West Asia.  �Our programs help hotels protect themselves against the affects of geo-political issues or even overall economic downturn.�

ABOUT HMC

Headquartered in Southern California, HMC is the world's leading provider of travel industry membership and database management programs with more than half-a-million customers and a network of over 750 premier hotel and resort clients around the world, including Le Meridien, Hilton, Shangri-la, Ritz, Mandarin Oriental, Marriott, Husa and Orbis. HMC is a global company with office locations in over 60 countries including Italy, France, UK, Germany, Spain, Poland, Singapore, Hong Kong, China, UAE, Australia, Venezuela, Brazil, Canada and The United States.  More information about HMC can be found on the company's web site at hmc.clubhotel.com or you may contact Ann Peyton-Merin, Vice President of Marketing at 949-454-1800 or via email at [email protected].