Hilton Hotels & Resorts Named Number One Hotel Brand in Japan for Fourth Consecutive Year

Asia Pacific Hotel Business Guest Survey Ranks Hilton First in Awareness, Social Media Engagement, Hotel Use and Other Categories

TOKYO & MCLEAN, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Hilton Hotels & Resorts, the flagship brand of Hilton Worldwide, has again been chosen as the “Number 1 Hotel Brand” in Japan, based on the annual Asia Pacific Hotel Business Guest Survey conducted by UK-based consultancy group BDRC.

“hotel brands used in the past 12 months”

The BDRC brand ranking index takes into account a hotel brand’s scores for prompted and unprompted awareness, usage of a brand in the last 12 months, preferred hotel choice, loyalty ratio and intention to recommend the hotel to others. Based on these combined scores, Hilton Hotels & Resorts was ranked the “Number One Hotel Brand” in Japan for 2010, a title Hilton has held since 2006. The survey took place in 14 countries across the Asia-Pacific region, with 776 participants being interviewed in Japan.

“This most recent ranking further solidifies our brand power in Japan and position as the leader in global hospitality, our fast paced growth in Asia and consistent ranking among top consumer brands are the result of our innovation, passion and commitment to providing a refreshing experience for today’s travellers,” said Dave Horton, global head, Hilton Hotels & Resorts brand.

In this year’s survey, Hilton achieved its fourth consecutive first place ranking by scoring a total of 52 points out of 60 on the brand index, an improvement of four points from last year’s score. Furthermore, Hilton continues to extend its lead over second-placed ANA Hotels, which scored a total of 39 points out of 60.

Here is a breakdown of some important rankings for Hilton Hotels & Resorts:

1. Ranks number 1 for preference
2. Ranks number 1 for “unprompted awareness”
3. Ranks number 1 for “prompted awareness”
4. Ranks number 1 for “hotel brands used in the past 12 months”
5. Tied for number 1 for “rooms booked for business via hotel websites in the last 12 months”
6. Ranks number 1 for “hotel brands engaged with on social media websites”

These results speak to the Hilton brand’s dominance across a variety of marketing, loyalty and sales measures. Earlier this year, Hilton entered Fukuoka, Japan with the opening of Hilton Fukuoka Sea Hawk. With more than 1,000 guest rooms, the hotel is the largest Hilton property in Asia Pacific and brings the brand’s property count in Japan to eight hotels. The Hilton Hotels & Resorts portfolio includes properties in more countries than any other full service hotel brand. A global advertising campaign continues to tell the Hilton story in markets around the world and the brand recently became the “most liked” hotelier on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Hilton) while remaining engaged on Twitter (www.twitter.com/HiltonOnline) and other leading social media channels.

The survey also showed some important results regarding hotel market trends in Japan:

1. The regional hotel industry suffered severely during 2009, despite the continuous relative strength of economies like China and India
2. Tokyo experienced the biggest increase in ADR (Average Daily Rate), and was the only market which showed an increase in RevPAR (Revenue Per Available Room)
3. Female business travellers have declined slightly (in total they accounted for 25% in 2005, while in 2010 they accounted for just 23%)
4. The average stay for business travellers has decreased to 15 nights (from 19 nights in 2009)
5. Social networking is perhaps less developed in Japan than in other western markets, but its influence in the travel sphere is greater, with 36% of users having sought advice online regarding the choice of a hotel for a business stay
6. 57% of long haul travellers and 71% of domestic frequent travellers use a mobile device (e.g. BlackBerry, iPhone or other 'Smartphone') that provides access to the internet

“It is a great honour for Hilton to be chosen as the Number One Hotel Brand in Japan for the fourth consecutive year,” said Oded Lifschitz, vice president of operations for the Japan, Korea, and Micronesia region, Hilton Worldwide. He added, “The result reflects the dedication and commitment of Hilton’s staff to exceeding the expectations of our guests and delivering a world class customer experience. In June this year we opened the Hilton Fukuoka Sea Hawk, which means we now have Hilton hotels across the whole of Japan for the convenience of our guests.”

About Hilton Hotels & Resorts

Hilton Hotels & Resorts is the stylish, forward-thinking global leader of hospitality that welcomes guests in more countries than any other full-service hotel brand. The Hilton brand currently includes more than 530 hotels and resorts in 76 countries, and plans to serve travelers in 80 countries by the end of 2011. By offering innovative products, services and amenities, Hilton Hotels & Resorts enables travelers to be at their best 24/7, whether traveling for business or leisure. Start your journey at www.hilton.com. Hilton Hotels & Resorts is one of Hilton Worldwide’s ten market-leading brands.

About Hilton Worldwide

Hilton Worldwide is the leading global hospitality company, spanning the lodging sector from luxurious full-service hotels and resorts to extended-stay suites and mid-priced hotels. For 91 years, Hilton Worldwide has been offering business and leisure travelers the finest in accommodations, service, amenities and value. The company is dedicated to continuing its tradition of providing exceptional guest experiences across its global brands. Its brands are comprised of more than 3,600 hotels and 600,000 rooms in 81 countries and include Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Doubletree, Embassy Suites Hotels, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Hotels, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Home2 Suites by Hilton and Hilton Grand Vacations. The company also manages the world-class guest reward program Hilton HHonors®.

For more information about the company, please visit www.hiltonworldwide.com.