Q

Investing in a brand is vital to its growth and profitability; how has Radisson kept up with the industry demands?

A

In the past two years, Radisson hotel owners, including the brand's parent company, Carlson Hotels Worldwide, have invested over $500 million in upgrades, renovations and new construction at 100+ Radisson hotels and resorts in North America to meet the brand's upgraded standards. We've parted ways with several hotels that did not embrace our new standards, and have been adding hotels more reflective of the new generation and focus of Radisson.

Investments by the brand and its hotels include over $45 million for the installation of The Sleep Number Bed by Select Comfort^™, which is exclusive to Radisson Hotels & Resorts®, and includes a new custom bedding package. The Sleep Number® bed is a perfect fit for Radisson, which is all about providing guests with greater choice and control over their hotel experience.

To date, the Sleep Number® beds have had a very positive impact on consumer perceptions of the brand, guest satisfaction, and profitability — with an average ADR lift of 14 percent. Our partnership with Select Comfort Corporation has also allowed to us leverage their $100 million in annual marketing spending — truly an example of smart partnership marketing.

Q

How does Radisson benefit from being part of Carlson Hotels Worldwide?

A

A key to the success of Radisson's growth has been its connectivity to the global travel industry and its sophisticated revenue generation capabilities. As part of the global Carlson organization, Radisson benefits from the expertise, infrastructure and customer knowledge of one of the world's largest and most dynamic travel and hospitality companies; encompassing all major distribution channels.

Other key components of revenue generation supporting Radisson include a patented travel agent reward program, called Look to Book®, the industry leading program to reward travel agents for their loyalty to Radisson and other Carlson hotel brands.

Carlson Hotels Worldwide has also recently deployed MeetingBroker, an innovative, Web-based lead management tool for group and meeting business which is supported by global call centers and sales teams.

Q

What is the “Spirit of Radisson”?

A

A cornerstone of the Spirit of Radisson is a commitment to provide guests with more choices and control over their travel experience. We call this “Stay Your Own Way^sm.” This commitment has been demonstrated with the introduction of key brand differentiators, including the Sleep Number® bed and Express Yourself^sm — the industry's first online check-in system, that allows guest to choose their stay preferences in advance. In early 2006, Radisson also introduced Tasteful Choices — a new lifestyle menu offering travelers consistent options for healthy dining while traveling. All of these programs are all delivered with our Yes I Can!® service philosophy, which empowers our employees to meet and exceed guest needs.