Arthur Andersen Launches Hotelbenchmark.com, The Leading Real Time Source of Hospitality Knowledge for the New Economy

Industry first: preliminary results available mid-month to participants

Press Release
Sept. 25, 2000
LONDON -- Arthur Andersen today launched Hotelbenchmark.com, which provides a focused and flexible method of real time delivery of the monthly results from their highly regarded Hotel Industry Benchmark Survey.

Hotelbenchmark.com supports and enhances the Arthur Andersen Hotel Industry Benchmark Survey by providing its participants with improved delivery of their monthly hotel performance statistics. For the first time ever, preliminary results will be made available by the middle of the month, allowing hoteliers to respond in a more timely fashion to factors that may impact performance. To enhance the understanding of the city wide results, the data will now be provided in graphs as well as tables. This will permit inclusion of the charts into a company's monthly management accounts. Qualitative market commentaries will supplement the monthly operating results, so aiding hoteliers' understanding of the dynamics of hotel markets across the world.

In keeping with the global hospitality industry's growing appetite for knowledge management tools that help assess the competitive environment and improve returns on investment, the site interfaces with the many web-based MarketShare solutions that Arthur Andersen has been delivering to its clients for the past year. A unique feature of the MarketShare report service is its flexibility, which enables users to customise their monthly reports according to their requirements, including changes in fiscal year and results in multiple currencies. Results can be presented in a variety of formats, including graphics. All competitor data appears in aggregate form to ensure client confidentiality.

Access to the results of the Arthur Andersen Hotel Industry Benchmark Survey is restricted to those hotel companies that participate in the survey. There is no fee for participation in the general city wide aggregate results, whilst company MarketShare reports are available on an annual subscription basis.

Hotelbenchmark.com replaces Arthur Andersen's hospitality KnowledgeSpace community, and provides more focused analysis and interpretation of trends that may impact the industry, especially those related to operating performance. Whilst the primary focus of the site is to support participants of the Arthur Andersen Hotel Industry Benchmark Survey the following content on Hotelbenchmark.com may be accessed by anyone that has an interest in learning more about the latest industry news and trends. Special features include:

• Access to specific Arthur Andersen research, such as our Hospitality 2000 series.
• The Arthur Andersen Hospitality and Leisure Executive Report (HALER).
• Contributions from global trade press and industry associations.
• Hospitality specific news feeds, updated regularly throughout the day.
• Key economic and tourism highlights.
• Links to over 500 web sites covering hospitality research, online magazines, hotel chains and brands across the world.
• Listing of hospitality conferences and events.
• In the Know -a complimentary weekly e-mail bulletin highlighting the events of the week.

Julia Felton, Global Knowledge Manager, Hospitality and Leisure Services, Arthur Andersen, comments: ``The need for focused business information and competitor intelligence is paramount to the success of any organisation. Hotelbenchmark.com seeks to address the needs of the industry by providing specific real time industry data via a web-based solution that is available 24:7. We trust this site will add value to the industry by helping better understand the drivers of the business and dynamics of local marketplaces, so aiding the decision making process.''

Notes to Editors:

(1) Launched in 1996 as the definitive source of hotel performance
data outside North America, the Arthur Andersen Hotel Industry
Benchmark Survey comprises information gathered from more than
3,500 hotels in 200 markets in 140 countries. The Survey currently
tracks hotel performance everywhere outside the Americas. Regional
surveys are produced for Asia Pacific, Europe, and the Middle East
& North Africa. These are supported by in-depth country/city
reports for Australia, Germany, South Africa, the UK and London.
New regions under development include South America and the
Caribbean. Participating hotels include the leading international
chains such as Accor, Bass Hotels & Resorts, Four Seasons, Hilton
Group, Hyatt International, Marriott International, and Starwood
Hotels and Resorts, as well as local regional and domestic chains,
and independent hotels.

(2) Arthur Andersen's vision is to be the partner for success in the
new economy. The firm helps clients find new ways to create,
manage and measure value in the rapidly changing global economy.
With world-class skills in assurance, tax, consulting and
corporate finance, Arthur Andersen has more than 77,000 people in
84 countries who are united by a single worldwide operating
structure that fosters inventiveness, knowledge sharing and a
focus on client success. Since its beginning in 1913, Arthur
Andersen has realised 86 years of uninterrupted growth, with 1999
revenues of more than US$7 billion. Arthur Andersen is a business
unit of Andersen Worldwide. www.arthurandersen.com

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Contact: 
     Arthur Andersen
     Julia Felton +44 20 7304 1785
     Siobhan Lee +44 20 7438 5243
     Gina Marie Gralnik  +1 619 699 6940