Priceline Europe Announces New Marketing Program
Promoting International Tourism To U.S., Canadian, Caribbean And Mexican Destinations
NORWALK, CT, May 9, 2006. Priceline Europe, the international business unit of priceline.com (Nasdaq: PCLN) consisting of Bookings BV and Active Hotels Ltd, announced today the launch of a new online marketing program designed to encourage international tourists to visit select U.S., Canadian, Caribbean and Mexican destinations and patronize hotels that have partnered with Priceline Europe. U.S. cities being promoted through the program include San Francisco, New York, Las Vegas, Orlando, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston and Miami.
Through this promotion, Priceline Europe provides a powerful way for hotels to reach a broad cross section of international tourists who book hotels through Priceline Europe and its global affiliates. Priceline Europe markets its agency-model hotel reservation services in more than 40 countries and is available in a dozen languages including English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin, Dutch and Spanish. The new online initiative will include promoting participating hotels through priceline's own Web sites such as www.bookings.net, www.activehotels.com and www.priceline.co.uk and its affiliates around the world. Participating hotels can provide their own property descriptions, which are translated for free into different languages.
There is no charge for a hotel to participate in this marketing program. However, participation will be limited to a select number of hotels. Participating hotels will connect to Priceline Europe through an extranet or through hotel-developed XML connections.
Priceline Europe is one of the largest and fastest growing European online hotel reservation services, working with over 20,000 hotels. In the 1st quarter 2006, Priceline Europe's hotel reservation service had US$272.8 million in gross bookings, an organic growth rate of more than 100% over the same period last year.
"As one of the largest online hotel reservation services, we serve a significant percentage of the international traveling population that books their holidays through the Internet," said Stef Norden, President and Chief Executive Officer of Priceline Europe. "This is a large, attractive and incremental base of future visitors for U.S., Canadian, Caribbean and Mexican hotels. Priceline Europe is pleased to help our hotel partners reach out to this largely untapped market."
Priceline partner hotels located in these cities that wish to considered for the international tourism promotion can contact Michaela Baier at 203-299-8512, or (Michaela@bookings.net)
Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) is a global leading lodging company based in Bethesda,Maryland, USA, with more than 4,200 properties in 80 countries and territories. Marriott International reported revenues of nearly $14 billion in fiscal year 2014. The company operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts under 19 brands, including: The Ritz-Carlton®, BVlgari®, EDITION®, JW Marriott®, Autograph Collection® Hotels, Renaissance® Hotels, Marriott Hotels®, Delta Hotels and Resorts®, Marriott Executive Apartments®, Marriott Vacation Club®, Gaylord Hotels®, AC Hotels by Marriott®, Courtyard®, Residence Inn®, SpringHill Suites®, Fairfield Inn & Suites®, TownePlace Suites®, Protea Hotels® and MoxyHotels®. Marriott has been consistently recognized as a top employer and for its superior business ethics. The company also manages the award-winning guest loyalty program, Marriott Rewards® and The Ritz-Carlton Rewards® program, which together surpass 50 million members. For more information or reservations, please visit our website at 
