HOTELS & RESORTS

Starwood hotels & resorts rounded up the year with yet another industry award, ascertaining its market leadership in CHINA
Singapore, 9th January - Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) rounded up 2007 with yet another industry award – “Best International Hotel Group” in the Accommodation/Outbound category at the recent TravelWeeklyChina Industry Awards 2007, further ascertaining its position as a market leader in the Chinese hospitality industry.
“It is indeed a great honour to be recognized once again as one of the best in the industry. It has been a fruitful year in which Starwood had successfully opened nine hotels and signed over 20 new hotel deals. Winning this award is in fact an excellent start to the New Year!” said Mr Qian Jin, Senior Vice President of Operation for China & Taiwan .
Inaugurated in 2002, the TravelWeeklyChina Travel Awards recognize the best in the industry and acknowledge their contributions to China ’s tourism industry, through expert nominations and reader votes. Over 100,000 individual votes were cast in the one month that voting was opened via an online system.
Besides being voted as the “Best International Hotel Group”, two of Starwood’s China hotels were also recognized for their achievements and contributions in China ’s tourism:
Sheraton Sanya Resort: “Best MICE Facility and Service Hotel”
The Westin Beijing Financial Street: “Best Business Hotel” and “Hotel Chief of the Year”
Starwood Hotels & Resorts has been aggressively expanding its footprint in China , with 40 hotels in operation and over 40 at various stages of construction. With the first aloft hotel slated to debut in China in mid-2008 and the first W Hotel opening in Hong Kong later in the year, Starwood China will operate hotels and resorts under the brands of Sheraton, Westin, St. Regis, Le Meridien, W Hotels, aloft and Four Points by Sheraton – an impressive gamut from all the brands that Starwood currently operates.