WOWtraveler and Kiwi Collection Announce Merger

Two leading travel authorities join forces to create a single, trusted and powerful voice within the

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. October 14, 2008

VANCOUVER, Canada, March 22, 2006. Mary Gostelow, Editor-in-Chief of WOWtraveler, and Philippe Kjellgren, President of Kiwi Collection, have announced the merger of their organizations.

"This merger will break new ground in the travel industry," stated Gostelow, a long-standing respected authority in the business. "We have combined the expertise and reputation of WOWtraveler with the technical and publication skills, both in print and online, of Kiwi Collection. This unique force will now be working towards a common goal of being the number one reference on global luxury travel accommodation."

The merged organization - with offices in Vancouver (Canada), London (England), and Sydney (Australia) - will retain the name Kiwi Collection. Through its website and publications, Kiwi Collection provides high-end travelers and travel agents with an up-to-date, unbiased, and trusted resource of only the finest accommodations, from the quaintest inn to the most exclusive hotels and resorts around the globe, as well as up-to-date advice on luxury travel (destinations, events etc.). To date Kiwi Collection has signed over 1,300 properties worldwide, from across virtually every luxury brand and affiliation.

Properties must offer truly outstanding guest experiences before they are invited to be a part of the collection. Once included, Kiwi Collection provides exceptional marketing and distribution channels for properties which in turn increases interest and global visibility, drives traffic and generates direct bookings from the lucrative high-end traveler market.

With the merger all former company websites have been amalgamated under www.kiwicollection.com which features a fully refreshed and redesigned interface. All existing URL's lead to the new site, which provides visitors with innovative search functionality, direct links to upscale hotels and resorts, and a wealth of up-to-date content tailored to discriminating travelers. Kiwi Collection adds value to the factual information about the properties in the collection by providing editorial content that captures the essence of the experience a traveler will have at each property.

What was WOWtraveler.net has become WOWtravel, an online luxury magazine that provides up-to-date insider advice and information covering the world of luxury travel including: top destinations of the month, travel secrets from industry insiders, and travel industry news. WOWtravel is exclusively available through www.kiwicollection.com. Recent guest writers have included the likes of: Jim Brimhall, Chief Marketing Officer Formula One; JT Kuhlman, President of One&Only Resorts; and appearing in the March issue, Doug Gollan, President and Editor-in-Chief of Elite Traveler.

The effect of WOWtravel has quickly been felt around the world since its launch in December. Mary Gostelow has been interviewed for the Times of London and the Wall Street Journal, Europe, and material from WOWtravel is being picked up in Lexpert, out of Toronto, and, weekly and online, in Kommersant, the premier Russian financial publication.

Mary Gostelow will continue to serve as the Editor-in-Chief of WOWtravel and now also assumes the role of Editor-at-Large of Kiwi Collection.

"We couldn't be more excited to have the breadth of knowledge, key insights, and experience that Mary brings to our team," announced Kjellgren. "In a few short years, Kiwi Collection has taken great strides to establish itself as an exceptional brand within the luxury travel marketplace. Having an industry icon like Mary Gostelow now as part of that brand will help us reinforce the trusted voice that our target audience has come to value."

Kiwi Collection is supported by a distinguished and highly respected panel of advisors that includes industry leaders such as: the CEO of Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts, Giovanni Angelini; the President of One&Only Resorts, JT Kuhlman; the publisher of Travel + Leisure Magazine, Ellen Asmodeo; Chairman and CEO of Abercrombie & Kent, Geoffrey Kent; and travel editor and television correspondent, Peter Greenberg.

In 2004, Kiwi Collection released its first hardbound coffee table publication, Overnight Sensations - The Americas, which was awarded a Certificate of Merit by the Printing Industries of America (PIA) at their annual awards gala in October 2005. The book is available for purchase through leading hotels and at Amazon.com. In assembling its publications, Kiwi Collection has amassed one of the largest image libraries of luxury properties; the library currently contains 25,000 high-quality images of hotels and is expected to double in size over the coming 12 months. Overnight Sensations for EMEA and Asia-Oceania, as well as a soft-cover publication are scheduled for release in 2006.