Hilton Family Of Brands To Introduce Weekly Commission Payments For Travel Agents

BEVERLY HILLS, CALIF (Tuesday, March 29, 2005) - Hilton Hotels Corporation (NYSE:HLT) has announced that starting on March 30, 2005, it will begin making weekly commission payments for travel agents who book rooms within the Hilton Family of Hotels.

"The Hilton Family truly values the travel agency community and respects their valuable role in travel industry distribution," said Bala Subramanian, senior vice president, Distribution & Brand Integration. "Accurately compensating travel agencies with commissions earned is fundamental to a successful business relationship. Accelerating commission payments demonstrates our commitment and the high value we place on the services travel agencies provide to our mutual customers."

The change from monthly to weekly payments is being made in response to feedback Hilton has received from travel agents. "In our business we are working on very small margins; it is therefore essential for us to choose suppliers who we can trust to pay our commissions quickly, frequently and efficiently," said John Melchior, executive vice president, Radius Global Travel. "We therefore welcome Hilton's move to go to weekly commission payments, which will improve our cash flow and make us want to support the Hilton Family of Hotels more than ever."

With each payment, travel agents will continue to receive detailed reports that assist them in reconciling their commission payments. Along with the switch to weekly payments, most travel agencies outside the U.S. will be offered new direct deposit options for commission payments, allowing them to substantially reduce their banking charges.

Hilton's Proprietary OnQ Property Management System automatically transmits all hotel checkout records daily to the centralized travel agent commission program. Currently, more than 99% of the 2,300 hotels in the Hilton Family participate in the centralized travel agency commission program. The combination of this unique technology and near universal hotel participation in a centralized payment program means that agents can count on receiving weekly payments when they book any of Hilton's Family of Hotels. This combination of technology and centralized processing is unmatched in the hospitality industry.

"Travel agents are always happy to be paid more frequently," said Kathryn W. Sudeikis, CTC, president and CEO of the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA). "We commend Hilton for recognizing travel agents' important role in the travel distribution channel and for making this change in our commission payments. Hilton is listening to travel agents, and we appreciate it!"

ABOUT HILTON HOTELS CORPORATION

Hilton Hotels Corporation is recognized internationally as a preeminent hospitality company. The company develops, owns, manages or franchises approximately 2,300 hotels, resorts and vacation ownership properties. Its portfolio includes many of the world's best known and most highly regarded hotel brands, including Hilton(R), Conrad(R), Doubletree(R), Embassy Suites Hotels(R), Hampton Inn(R), Hampton Inn & Suites(R), Hilton Garden Inn(R), Hilton Grand Vacations Club(R) and Homewood Suites by Hilton(R).

SOURCE: Hilton Hotels Corporation

Hilton Hotels Corporation
Brand Communications
Andrew Keown / Kendra Walker, 310-205-4545
andrew_keown@hilton.com / kendra_walker@hilton.com
http://www.hiltonworldwide.com

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