Market Metrix Announces Third Quarter 2006 Hospitality Index Results

Drury Inns, JetBlue Airlines and Enterprise Rent-A-Car -- Booming Generation Y: More emotional, les

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. October 14, 2008

SAN RAFAEL, CA, November 15, 2006. Market Metrix, LLC, the leading provider of market research services for the hospitality industry, today announced results of the Market Metrix Hospitality Index (MMHI) for the third quarter of 2006. Drury Inns, JetBlue Airways and Enterprise Rent-a-Car ranked number one in hotel, airline and rental car industry customer satisfaction, respectively.

This is the second consecutive quarter that Drury Inns has won top honors in customer satisfaction for the hotel industry. With higher satisfaction scores than much pricier hotels, guests continue to rave about the personal treatment they experience. JetBlue Airlines and Enterprise Rent-A-Car also continue their momentum after earning the top spot in their respective industries in Q2 2006.

Fickle Generation Y

This quarter, our research focused on the multigenerational traveler. More people from all age groups are traveling now than ever before. Attracting and satisfying the needs of each of these groups presents new challenges to conventional approaches.

Born between 1977 and 1994, the Y generation is poised to become the largest consumer group in the history of the U.S. and, therefore, represents the future market for most consumer brands. But generation Y travelers are the least loyal to hotel brands compared to all other generational groups.

The Y generation - whose members have not yet hit 30 - is different from any that have come before. Based on results from 35,000 guests staying in a hotel during Q3 2006, Gen Y represents the least loyal, most emotional and least satisfied guests compared to all other generations. Their favorite mainstream brand is Holiday Inn Express but they also like unconventional brands such as W and Kimpton Hotels.

Successful Generation Y brands are typically perceived as hip and popular, but without the air of heavy commercialism. Also, Generation Y demographics show that Gen Y is more racially diverse, with one out of three members considering themselves non-Caucasian. As a result, customer service is defined differently by Gen Y. What an older customer sees as "attentive and responsive," a younger Gen Y may see as "tedious and unnecessary."

MMHI Top-Hospitality Rankings Q3 2006

Hotel - Overall

Drury Inns

Airline

JetBlue

Car Rental

Enterprise

Luxury Hotels

Four Seasons Hotels

Upper Upscale

Walt Disney World Resorts

Upscale Hotels

Homewood Suites

Midscale w/ F&B

Red Lion Hotels & Inns

Midscale w/o F&B

Drury Inns

Economy Hotels

Microtel Inns & Suites

Timeshare Accommodations

Disney Vacation Club

Upscale Casino

Bellagio

Casino

Rio

Hotel Reservations Website - Hotel Brand

Doubletree

Hotel Reservations Website - Travel

Priceline

(w/o F&B = without food & beverage)

About MMHI

The Market Metrix Hospitality Index is a quarterly report of customer satisfaction with hotel, airline and car rental companies based on 35,000 in-depth consumer interviews. The MMHI ranks top hospitality brands by industry and, for hotels, by categories such as luxury, mid-price and economy. Detailed, in-depth and customized reports are available for subscribers. No other customer satisfaction index offers MMHI's reporting frequency, volume of customer interviews, cross-industry results or innovative satisfaction measures.

About Market Metrix

Market Metrix, LLC was founded in 1996 to provide the hospitality industry with better customer and employee satisfaction measurement programs and management tools. In addition to MMHI, Market Metrix provides clients with award-winning survey systems and strategic services. For more information, log onto www.marketmetrix.com or call 1-800-239-7515.

Contact:

Mike Pharis

Market Metrix

tel 415-721-1300

fax 415-721-1314

http://www.marketmetrix.com