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Press Release: Six Continents, Inc.
December 17, 2002
ATLANTA, GA -- In time for the busy holiday travel season, Six Continents Hotels, Inc., (www.sixcontinentshotels.com ) the world's most global hotel company, announces the expansion
of its existing wireless and online reservations service to include a modification feature and support for the
RIM Blackberry and Pocket PC mobile wireless devices.
These enhancements allow guests to access and change existing reservations made from any distribution channel,
including reservations made via direct Six Continents Hotels Web sites or 1-800-HOLIDAY, where previously all modifications
required agent assistance. Consumers can access this value- added convenience by selecting "Review/Cancel/Modify"
on the Home and Reservation Desk pages of any of the Six Continents Hotels brand Web sites -- InterContinental
Hotels, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, and Staybridge Suites. The new Review/Cancel/Modify feature
is also available through Six Continents Hotels' Wireless Reservations Services. In addition to the new Pocket
PC, RIM Blackberry and wireless Palm devices, Six Continents Hotels' customers can also use all other Web-enabled
devices and Web-enabled mobile phones to make new reservations or modify existing reservations.
"Six Continents Hotels is committed to delivering the best solutions for our customers by supporting and enhancing
the way they live and work," said Del Ross, Director of Internet Business for Six Continents Hotels. "Our
customers can now efficiently manage their travel plans by modifying or canceling a reservation from their wireless
PDA or web-enabled phone at any time from any location."
According to Forrester Research, more than 61 million households in the US alone will book travel online in 2003,
making travel the number one activity of Internet lookers and bookers. Furthermore, IDC predicts that the number
of wireless handheld computing devices will climb from 13.6 million in 2000 to 70.9 million by 2005.
"We are moving toward a new generation of hand held convenience and workspace," Ross added. "As
consumers develop new ways of locating hotels and interacting with us, we have to be there to ensure that Six Continents
Hotels is available whenever and however our guests choose to shop."
The modify reservations feature marks Phase II in the development of Six Continents Hotels' Wireless Reservations
Services. Launched in 2001 in partnership with Air2Web Inc., the leading mobile Internet platform provider, Wireless
Reservations Services allows consumers to obtain hotel information easily from almost any wireless device, including
digital text messaging phones.
Members of Priority Club Rewards, Six Continents Hotels' frequent guest program, can also book and now modify reservations
on Web-enabled devices with a minimal amount of effort, and through December 31, 2002, will receive 3,000 bonus
points for all wireless reservations for hotel stays completed this calendar year. As a Priority Club Rewards member,
stored room preferences and credit card information are used to offer personalized reservations and streamline
the process. Guests can register for the services on any Six Continents Hotels branded Web site to select their
device and customize their profile. Air2Web can transmit tailored information to more than 700 wireless devices
based on manufacturer and specifications.
"With Six Continents Hotels' launch of its wireless reservations service in 2001, they have solidly positioned
themselves as having one of the most progressive, m-commerce applications in the market," said Dale Gonzalez,
Air2Web vice president of Wireless Research and Development. "Six Continents Hotels is determined to offer
its guests every convenience including the flexibility of making and changing their reservations anytime, anywhere
from any web-enabled device or phone."
Six Continents(SM) Hotels, the hotel business of Six Continents PLC of the United Kingdom (NYSE: SXC; London) (ADRs),
owns, operates or franchises more than 3,300 hotels and 515,000 guest rooms in nearly 100 countries and territories.
The following are some of the service marks owned by Six Continents Hotels, Inc., its parent, subsidiaries or affiliates:
Holiday Inn®, Crowne Plaza®, Holiday Inn Express® in the Americas, Express by Holiday Inn(SM) in Europe,
the Middle East and Africa, Holiday Inn Select®, Holiday Inn Garden Court(SM), Holiday Inn SunSpree® Resort,
Staybridge Suites® by Holiday Inn®, Holiday Inn Family Suites(SM) Resort , Holidex®, Priority Club®,
InterContinental® and Forum®. Centra® in Canada and Mexico; Centra(SM) in the U.S.; Parkroyal(SM) in
the U.S. and Canada; Parkroyal® in Mexico.
Six Continents Club®, Six Continents(SM), 6 Continents(SM) and the 6C logo are service marks of Six Continents
PLC and used under license.
Six Continents Hotels, Inc. offers information and reservations capability on the Internet -- www.6c.com, www.intercontinental.com
for InterContinental Hotels and Resorts, www.crowneplaza.com for Crowne Plaza Hotels and Resorts, www.holiday-inn.com
for Holiday Inn hotels, www.hiexpress.com for Holiday Inn Express hotels, www.staybridge.com for Staybridge Suites
by Holiday Inn, and www.priorityclub.com .
Source: Six Continents, Inc.