MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (January 17, 2003) � Radisson Hotels & Resorts, continuing its global expansion, today announced it has added 26 new hotels and resorts in 2002, spanning 12 countries around the world and encompassing nearly 5,000 rooms.  The brand's growth includes the first introduction of Radisson in Lebanon, a re-entry to the United Arab Emirates, expansion in Egypt, France and Poland, plus entry into Saudi Arabia this quarter.  In North America, Radisson added a total of 15 hotels with over 2,800 rooms. 

Radisson grew system-wide revenues during September, October and November 2002 by nearly 19.4 percent, compared to the same period in 2001, and RevPAR for the same time period increased by 7.4 percent. 

"These newest Radisson hotels and resorts are the result of our development strategy of growing our brand's presence in three key global regions, including the Americas, Europe, The Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and Asia-Pacific," said Bjorn Gullaksen, executive vice president and brand leader of Radisson Hotels & Resorts.  "Faced with the challenging environment in today's recovering travel industry, I am pleased with the steady progress our development team and global partners continue to achieve to expand Radisson's presence with high quality properties.  "We already have an additional 34 hotels signed and scheduled to open in 2003." 

"Rezidor SAS Hospitality, our master development partner for Europe, the Middle East and Africa," he added, "has kept up a brisk development pace with strong growth of the Radisson brand in the Middle East and Europe." 

"We are growing the brand through high quality franchising and selected investment and acquisitions in key markets where our customers want to go," he added.   Radisson ended the year with 435 locations in 61 countries. 

Europe and the Middle East

In 2002, Rezidor SAS Hospitality opened 10 Radisson SAS hotels across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.   Their most recent additions include the opening of three hotels in the  Middle East, which has introduced the Radisson brand to Lebanon, brought it back to the United Arab Emirates, and expanded its presence in Egypt.  Radisson SAS will also expand into Saudi Arabia during the first quarter of this year. 
 

Significant part of the growth of the Radisson brand is taking place in the Middle East.  There are now nine Radisson SAS hotels in the region with several more under development this year.  The newest additions in the region include a beachfront Radisson SAS Resort in Sharjah, UAE, close to the business district and located on the Arabian Gulf in the West, and the Gulf of Oman and the Indian Ocean on the East.  In Beirut, Lebanon, Radisson SAS

Radisson SAS Resort Sharjah, UAE

The Radisson SAS Resort in Taba, Egypt, is Radisson's second property in the country, following the opening of a property in Sharm El Sheikh, last year.  The resort's 348 rooms include 70 Marine Club rooms, 12 luxurious suites and 44 unique one and two bedroom family suites.  The property features a traditional Levantine design, combining Arabic and Mediterranean architecture.  This month, a Radisson SAS will open a property in Yanbu, Saudi Arabia, which is already known as one of the first hotels in the city.  It has been totally renovated and will be the top hotel in Yanbu.  It offers a premier beach location and newly created meeting facilities. Two more Radisson SAS hotels will open in the country in Jeddah and Riyadh this quarter. 

Other key additions in the region were in Paris, France (near the famous Arc de Triomphe and just off the Champs Elysées); Limerick, Ireland; Wroclaw and Warsaw, Poland; Leeds, England, and Glasgow, Scotland, in the United Kingdom; and a seventh property in Denmark in the city of Silkeborg.  Rezidor SAS is planning to open another five hotels in the United Kingdom and Ireland, with properties opening in Letterkenny, Ireland in 2003; and Liverpool and Stansted, England; and Belfast, Northern Ireland, making their debuts in 2004; and Birmingham, England, coming online in 2005, making this the second largest European market for the Radisson brand in the region outside of Scandinavia. 

Asia-Pacific

Radisson 's newest addition in Asia is the 104-room Radisson Hotel Jalandhar in Jalandhar, Punjab, India.  Situated in the heart of the business district, the hotel offers a Business Class floor with business lounge, a Business Center, and seven meeting rooms.  The hotel also offers an on-site gymnasium, steam room, sauna, whirlpool and massage services.  The Great Kabob Factory restaurant features Indian cuisine and there is also a 24-hour casual restaurant. 

This new addition brings the total number of Radisson hotels in India to four.    Additional hotels are under development to open in the country in February 2003 in Varnasi and Goa. 

North America

In North America, six of the 15 most recent hotels added in 2002 include the 200-room Radisson Hotel Nashville Airport in Tennessee, adjacent to the Nashville International Airport and five miles from Opryland.  The hotel's 11-story tower features 200 luxurious guestrooms that provide each guest with 25-inch televisions, in-room movies, high-speed Internet access, and two dual-line phones with a voice-messaging system. 
 

The 261-room Radisson Hotel City Center Little Rock, which has 7,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, is in downtown Little Rock, Arkansas. On the East Coast, Radisson welcomed the 175-room waterfront Radisson Hotel Plymouth Harbor which is within walking distance to Plymouth Harbor which features the full-size reproduction of the Mayflower ship, Plymouth Rock, historic museums and water activities in Plymouth, Massachusetts. The 215-room Radisson Hotel Bismarck near the civic center and state capitol in Bismarck, North Dakota is a welcome property to the system. The new Radisson Hotel DFW South in Irving,

Radisson Hotel Bismarck 605 East Broadway Ave Bismarck, North Dakota

Other additions included Savannah, Ga.; Wichita. Kan; Indianapolis, Ind.; Des Moines, Iowa; Woburn, Mass.; Saddle Brook, N.J.; Bismarck, N.D.; Worthington, Ohio; San Antonio, Texas; and Kingston, Ontario, Canada. 

This month, Radisson will open the Radisson Plaza Hotel Myrtle Beach, a premier hotel in Myrtle Beach. S.C., attached to the Myrtle Beach Convention Center, in the heart of the Grand Strand's growing entertainment district and popular beaches.  Radisson Hotel Corporation is managing the new hotel. 

Radisson Hotels & Resorts currently has 435 locations in 61 countries. Radisson is a division of Carlson Hospitality Worldwide, a global leader in hospitality services encompassing more than 1,635 hotel, resort, restaurant and cruise ship operations in 82 countries.