Hilton Worldwide Resorts, Hilton International’s portfolio of 47
upscale resorts around the world, last night won the coveted ‘Marketing Strategy of
the Year Award’ at the prestigious National Business Awards 2004.Hilton Worldwide Resorts triumphed over marketing strategies implemented by leading,
global businesses including Procter & Gamble, Data Select, Pfizer, and Travelex to
claim the accolade at what the UK’s Chancellor of the Exchequer acknowledges as “the
UK’s business Oscars”.

Mike Ashton, Senior Vice President of Marketing for Hilton International was
thrilled with the award; “We are delighted to receive such an acclaimed award in the
UK business community.  To compete amongst travel industry partners is one thing,
but to win a nationwide business award, competing against businesses from all
industry sectors, is particularly pleasing.

“This award recognizes Hilton Worldwide Resorts as an innovative product, the
planning and execution across all disciplines of our marketing strategy and the
brand’s commercial success. It also importantly commends Hilton International’s
foresight and commitment to its worldwide resort product during a period of
uncertainty and risk in the global hospitality and travel industries. Hilton
International will continue its development of Hilton Worldwide Resorts and over the
next three years plans to open an additional 14 upscale resorts around the world and
further develop its Coral by Hilton all-inclusive resorts.”

Hilton International has established the Hilton Worldwide Resorts product and brand
as a leading player in the resort market amongst both travel industry partners and
consumers. A total resort product with defined market sectors and a resort
experience that people can trust has been developed, separate from the parent brand.

Creative marketing agency, Campaign Works, has supported the Hilton Worldwide
Resorts team led by Philippa Gould, Director Product Development for Hilton
International, to develop and deliver an innovative product and an all-encompassing
marketing campaign. The marketing campaign firstly embraced the travel industry with
workshops and road shows to build industry partnerships, business contracts and to
prove the value of Hilton as a resort operator.  Then the consumer marketing
campaign began with a range of direct marketing, advertising, online marketing and
public relations.

This strategy has led to outstanding success for Hilton Worldwide Resorts with a
significant shift in business mix, growth well ahead of the market, high
satisfaction levels from guest satisfaction feedback, an increased number of tour
operator partners and a rise in individual bookings due to a wider choice of
distribution channels.

The National Business Awards recognise and reward excellence, best practice and
innovation in the UK business community.  It is the first programme to engage
FTSE100s and blue chip companies with SMEs and new ventures and was launched three
years ago to celebrate the contribution that the UK’s businesses make to the nation.
Since their inception, the National Business Awards have quickly established
themselves as an important signature of UK success and enterprise.
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