Growth of Online Reservations for Six Continents Hotels Demonstrate

As the first hotel company to offer web bookings more than seven years ago, Six Continents Hotels, Inc. (www.sixcontinentshotels.com ), the world's most global hotel company, today at its annual Conference in San Diego, highlighted the success of its online initiatives, and outlined its aggressive 2003 E-commerce goals.

'We have seen a significant impact on the hotel industry since the Internet emerged nearly eight years ago -- and Six Continents Hotels has been instrumental in this tremendous growth', said Eric Pearson, vice president of E-commerce for Six Continents Hotels. 'From the Internet's starting point in 1995, it took us just two years to book one million dollars in revenue from online reservations. Last January, we booked a million dollars in a single day. And earlier this year, we passed another major milestone -- $ 2 million booked in a single day direct to our Web sites.'

One of the most important elements in the success of Six Continents Hotels Internet bookings has been the company's industry-leading Lowest Internet Rate Guarantee. The Guarantee promises if a consumer finds on the Internet a lower rate publicly viewable and bookable on another Web site for the same hotel and accommodations for the same dates and finds it within 24 hours of making his or her reservations, Six Continents Hotels will honor the lower rate plus give an additional 10 percent discount, upon its verification of the rate by Six Continents Hotels.