InternetWeek has recognized Hilton Hotels Corporation (NYSE: HLT) as the 2001 E-Business of the Year, based on the results of the magazine`s second annual InternetWeek 100 survey.
Announced in the June 11, 2001, online and print issues, Hilton Hotels Corporation also secured the position of Recognized Leader in the Travel and Hospitality Industry for the second year in a row.

The InternetWeek 100, based on a performance-focused questionnaire of major U.S. companies conducted in February and March by InternetWeek Magazine, ranks the top 100 e-businesses in the U.S., across nine major industries that are driving their e-business initiatives to deliver new revenues, new customers and new opportunities.

More than 400 candidates were evaluated in several critical areas, including improved relationships with customers and suppliers, and the extent of involvement in electronic marketplaces.

“Hilton Hotels Corporation was named the travel and hospitality industry winner—and the top e-business overall—because it has in the past year seen huge increases in the volume of online business booked through its brand websites, including Hilton, Doubletree, Embassy Suites, Hampton Inn and Red Lion Hotels & Inns, which booked more than $300 million total online business during 2000, double the previous year`s,” said Bob Violino, Managing Editor/Features for InternetWeek.

“Hilton Hotels has taken what it learned from early Internet efforts and applied those lessons to major effect. For relying on the power of e-business not only to boost sales and slash procurement costs, but also to entirely remake itself into a multibrand powerhouse, Hilton stands out as InternetWeek`s E-Business of the Year,” wrote Richard Karpinski, InternetWeek`s Online Editor at Large in the June 11 InternetWeek issue.

Hilton`s major accomplishments during the past year include an extensive website enhancement and redesign project that will integrate and improve Internet information and transaction services on a single platform for the company`s family of nearly 1,900 hotels across North America.

“Hilton is honored to receive this year`s top award from Internet Week. It represents our team`s continued commitment to explore new technology opportunities and effectively develop a community of online resources and services that provide the greatest value and experience to our customers,” said Bruce Rosenberg, senior vice president—eBusiness at Hilton Hotels Corporation. “We have and will continue our pioneering spirit in this arena to explore the dynamic power of e-business on all levels.”

From a business-to-business perspective, Hilton has successfully developed and implemented its web-enabled, electronic procurement marketplace during the past year. An experienced procurement leader in the hospitality industry with more than 35 years of experience in the supply management field, Hilton`s proprietary, real-time procurement network now links thousands of suppliers with more than 500 owned, managed and franchised hotels in the Hilton family of brands.

“Hilton`s e-procurement marketplace has enterprise-wide connectivity and a consistent intuitive platform that everyone can use, thereby benefiting our entire portfolio of properties without the barriers typically associated with implementing technology at multiple sites across an enterprise,” said Anthony Nieves, Hilton`s senior vice president of purchasing and supply management. “The reduction in cycle time, improved accuracy and forecasting and the ability to aggregate our spend to realize economies of scale have greatly improved the way we do business and gives us the ability to operate our organization much more cost-effectively, ultimately enhancing our value to our hotel guests.”

Hilton`s Information Technology team also has been working hard behind the scenes for internal customers—including back office technology initiatives that connect the company`s corporate headquarters, worldwide sales and reservations offices and regional support centers with hotels in all 50 states, Canada and Mexico.

“Everything we do in our business can have an e-business implication. Whether it`s our Internet site, a reservations call center, a meeting planner or a hotel, it is imperative that we are able to provide a consistent stream of information to every end user in our system,” said Tim Harvey, chief information officer for Hilton Hotels Corporation. “I am proud of our endeavors during the past year to incorporate all of these channels with the ultimate goal of ensuring that we provide the right information at the right time to the right customer.”

About InternetWeek:

CMP Media`s InternetWeek is the news and analysis source for IT and corporate managers applying Internet technologies and strategies to transform their businesses. With a history of innovation and thought leadership, InternetWeek is the only newspaper with an Internet/IT editorial focus—meeting the informational needs of e-business stakeholders charged with delivering results and driving business to survive in today`s competitive marketplace.
According to the most recent Simmons and IntelliQuest readership studies, InternetWeek delivers the most powerful audience—it is the best-read and maintains the highest reader loyalty of all newspapers in its category. Visit the publication`s website at http://www.internetweek.com.

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