Award In Recognition Of Contracts and Deals Closed for Upcoming Ummra and Hajj Seasons

Makkah, KSA, March 4th 2008: Makkah Hilton & Towers, scooped the Hilton International "Best Close of Deal" at the 2008 International Sales Conference for the Hilton Family that took place at Conrad Hotel, Cairo.

James Farrow, Hilton Vice President for Sales awarded Mr. Mohammed Youssef, Makkah Hilton & Towers Director of Sales the prestigious prize as a result of 'Contracts and Sales' deals signed and sealed for the upcoming "Umrah and Hajj seasons" 1429H (2008).

"We are delighted with the tremendous recognition that comes with the receipt of this important award", stated Mr. Mohammad Yousef.  "Following the extensive refurnishing completed in August, 2007 at a cost of SR 120 million (US$ 30 million), our property has witnessed unprecedented demand which in turn has spurred room revenues to beyond expectations".

The Holy City's landmark hotel served over 690,000 guests from around the world in 2006. Delivering the benchmark of hospitality, the hotel in 2007 saw an increase in room revenues of around 16% as well as a 20% increase in the number of guests from the previous year.  This year's guest figures are expected to grow by over 25%.

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About Hilton Makkah & Towers 
Overlooking the Haram and the Kaaba, the Hilton Makkah & Towers is set in the heart of Makkah, offering 1,400 rooms, suites, and villas. The luxurious Makkah Hilton Hotel & Towers forms part of the largest and most prestigious complex in the holy City.

Inaugurated in 1995, Makkah Hilton Hotel consists of 598 units and features 6 restaurants serving a great variety of modern and classic cuisine. The Hotel has a grand ballroom that accommodates up to 350 persons theater style and three meeting rooms that accommodate from 10 to 100 persons each. A business center is planned to open early 2007 offering basic needs to businessmen. All rooms are equipped with high speed internet access and wireless internet access in public areas for guests, convenience.

Makkah Hilton Towers have been integrated with Makkah Hilton Hotel in September 2002. Integration has added 800 units to Hilton capacity in the Holy City. Towers' rooms are spacious with spectacular view on Kaaba and Haram. Rooms in renovated towers 3 & 6 have high-speed internet access, two bathrooms in large rooms, and a cotemporary kitchenette.

Makkah Hilton & Towers complex also hosts a full-fledge commercial center with over than 400 brand-name stores, food court, multi-level car park that can take more than 300 vehicles, and a mosque that accommodates 20,000 worshipers.

In addition to the Makkah Hilton & Towers, Hilton International currently operates three other properties in Madinah and in Jeddah.

About The Hilton Hotels Corporation
Hilton Hotels Corporation is the leading global hospitality company, with more than 2,800 hotels and 480,000 rooms in 76 countries and territories, including 100,000 team members worldwide. 

The company owns, manages or franchises a hotel portfolio of some of the best known and highly regarded hotel brands including Hilton®, Conrad® Hotels & Resorts, Doubletree®, Embassy Suites Hotels®, Hampton Inn®, Hampton Inn & Suites®, Hilton Garden Inn®, Hilton Grand Vacations™, Homewood Suites by Hilton®, and The Waldorf=Astoria Collection®.

The company currently operates 43 hotels in the Middle East and Africa - 18 hotels in Egypt, nine hotels in the UAE, four in Saudi Arabia and one each in Oman and Kuwait, plus another ten hotels in Africa and the Indian Ocean.

Hilton's heritage in the Middle East stretches back nearly 50 years, when it became the first international hotel brand to open a property in Egypt - the Nile Hilton in 1959. It was also the first international hotel brand to open a property in the UAE over 35 years ago - the Hilton Al Ain in 1971.

The 46-suite Qasr Al Sharq, or 'Palace of the Orient' which opened last year is now a member of The Waldorf=Astoria Collection®. The first phase of a Worldwide Resort in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE opened in January this year with 151 villa suites right on the beach.

Hilton Hotels has an opening pipeline of an additional 15 properties across Middle East & Africa in the U.A.E, Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Equatorial Guinea, Uganda and Ghana.

The Hilton Family of Hotels adheres to founder Conrad Hilton's philosophy that, "It has been, and continues to be, our responsibility to fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality."  The company put a name to its unique brand of service that has made it the best known and most highly regarded hotel company:  be hospitable®. The philosophy is shared by all brands in the Hilton Family of Hotels, and is the inspiration for its overarching message of kindness and generosity (www.behospitable.com)

For more information about our company, please visit www.hiltonworldwide.com. To download images please visit www.vismedia-online.com      

The Hilton Reservations and Customer Care telephone numbers in the Middle East are as follows:

UAE                  - 8000 20000 11             Qatar                - 800 97103
KSA                  - 800 82000 10               Egypt               - 19009
Bahrain             - 8000 4058                   Jordan              - 00 202 5805927
Kuwait              - 00965 225 6200           Lebanon            - 00 202 5805928
Oman                   - 800 788788                 Syria                - 00 202 5805926

For further information please contact:
Lubna Karim
PR Manager
Memac Ogilvy
Jeddah
Saudi Arabia
Tel : 9662 651 0704
Email: Lubna.karim@ogilvy.com

© Press Release 2008