MasterCard International and Hilton International are celebrating the success of the 2005 Hilton For Free promotion and their alliance. This year is the first year MasterCard has participated in the ‘Hilton For Free’ promotion and droves of Middle East consumers have rushed to take up the summer offer, and pay with their MasterCard card. After the first 9 weeks of the 22 week promotion, MasterCard is delighted to announce that almost 8,000 room nights had been booked using a MasterCard card, more than double the number of rooms booked at this stage of the promotion last year.
Hilton’s promotion ‘Hilton For Free’, in association with MasterCard and Emirates Holidays allows Middle East travelers to receive free room nights, when booking for three consecutive nights or more at over 140 Hilton hotels in spectacular destinations.
By using a MasterCard card until 30th September 2005, MasterCard card holders will receive a ten per cent discount when they book directly with Hilton and make an online reservation.
In addition, MasterCard cardholders will be entered into a draw to win one of 60 weekend breaks at Hilton hotels in the Middle East region, whether they book directly with Hilton online, or through Emirates Holidays various travel agent partners.
Commenting on the promotion, Thomas Edelmann, vice president, Strategic Alliances & Business Development, MasterCard International Middle East North Africa (MENA) Region said, “We are thrilled with the way this promotion has been received and hope MasterCard cardholders will continue to benefit from the promotion in the coming months. The support we get from our member banks across the region is tremendous, more than 20 of the biggest member banks in the region decided to support the promotion with direct mailings and other support.”
“At MasterCard we are committed to providing unique, value-added benefits to our cardholders. Teaming up with Hilton and Emirates Holidays, some of the most recognized names in the leisure industry, is yet another example of how we deliver on the promise of innovative and exciting offers to MasterCard cardholders,” he added.
MasterCard member banks in the UAE supporting the promotion are National Bank of Abu Dhabi, Standard Chartered Bank, National Bank of Dubai, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, ABN Amro and Mashreqbank.
About MasterCard International
MasterCard International is a leading global payments solutions company that provides a broad variety of innovative services in support of our global members' credit, deposit access, electronic cash, business-to-business and related payment programs. MasterCard International manages a family of well-known, widely accepted payment cards brands including MasterCard®, Maestro® and Cirrus® and serves financial institutions, consumers and businesses in over 210 countries and territories. The MasterCard award-winning Priceless® advertising campaign is now seen in 96 countries and in 48 languages, giving the MasterCard brand a truly global reach and scope. For more information go to www.mastercardinternational.com or refer to our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
About Hilton International
Hilton International (HI), an operating division of the UK based Hilton Group plc, owns the rights to the Hilton brand name throughout the world, with the exception of the USA, where the Hilton brand is owned and managed by Hilton Hotels Corporation (HHC).
HI currently operates 32 hotels in the Middle East – 17 hotels in Egypt, eight hotels in the UAE, three in Saudi Arabia and one each in Bahrain, Oman and Kuwait. Hilton's heritage in the Arabian Peninsula stretches back over 30 years, when it became the first international hotel brand to open a property in the UAE - the Hilton Al Ain in 1972. New Hilton properties are under development in Jeddah - Saudi Arabia, and Doha – Qatar, in addition to the Arabian Peninsula’s first Conrad hotel in Dubai.
Hilton International operates 403 hotels, with some 261 branded Hilton and 142 under the mid-market Scandic brand. Under a joint venture agreement, Hilton International and the North American based Hilton Hotels Corporation (HHC) share responsibility for the Conrad brand, which includes 17 hotels in 12 countries. A global marketing alliance between Hilton International and Hilton Hotels Corporation extends the number of hotels operated by both companies worldwide to over 2,700 – over 500 of which are branded Hilton.
Hilton Worldwide Resorts is an upscale, global resort network with a collection of 57 resorts, located in exotic places, making up the world’s largest global choice. Currently, 36 resorts are operated by Hilton International – including four all-inclusive Coral by Hilton resorts, 18 by Hilton Hotels Corporation and three by Conrad. Hilton International Grand Vacations Company presently operates four resorts in Scotland and Egypt, comprising 271 time-ownership units.
Hilton International employs over 71,000 staff in 80 countries. Committed to doing business in a responsible way, Hilton International’s aim is to bring a positive benefit to the societies in which it operates through high quality services, economic growth, environmental protection, community involvement and employment.
About EMIRATES HOLIDAYS
Emirates Holidays is the tour operating arm of Emirates Airline and the largest wholesale tour operator in the Gulf and Middle East. It offers flexible, affordable and quality holidays to 100 leisure destinations in 36 countries within Asia, Australasia, Africa, the Indian Ocean, the Middle East, Europe and North America.
Emirates Holidays’ World of Choice brochures offer tours that include rafting in New Zealand, Australian outback tours, a range of US city breaks; stays in majestic Moscow and monumental St. Petersburg; city breaks in Brisbane, gateway to Australia’s Gold Coast and tropical North Queensland; cruises on the majestic Queen Mary 2; Harley Davidson motorbike rentals in America; and spa stays in several countries.
It also offers a wide range of tailor made, pre-planned and self drive itineraries, private chauffeur-driven car and coach tours.
With Emirates Holidays, customers fly on Emirates, whose exceptionally-high quality of service has won the airline over 250 international awards.
Emirates Holidays also offers a comprehensive travel insurance policy at very reasonable rates through Holiday Guard. With this policy, insurance cover is applicable to all Emirates Holidays destinations and covers worldwide medical expenses up to USD 1,000,000.
