SIX CONTINENTS HOTELS TO DONATE $1 MILLION TO AMERICAN RED CROSS DISASTER RELIEF AND SEPTEMBER 11 FUNDS

Commitment enables employees, customers and individual hotels to contribute through monetary donations or free guestrooms

Six Continents Hotels, the world's most global hotel company, yesterday announced it is supporting the rescue and relief initiatives following the September 11 terrorist attacks by donating $1 million, to be split between the American Red Cross Disaster Relief and September 11 Funds.

So far, the company’s guests and employees have already contributed $224,000 in cash, and the cash and in-kind room donations continue to roll in.

The American Red Cross is using the Disaster Relief Fund to provide lifesaving assistance in the form of immediate disaster mass care and blood to victims and emergency workers in New York, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania.

The September 11 Fund has been established by United Way and The New York Community Trust to help respond to the immediate and longer-term needs of the victims, their families, and communities affected by the events of September 11.

The $1 million donation is structured in a way that allows every Six Continents Hotels’ employee, customer and hotel property to contribute to the relief effort. Funds will be generated through corporate contributions, matching fund programmes for employees, consumers and individual hotels, in-kind room donations offered by individual hotels, and special fundraising events.

“In this time of tragedy, it is important that all of us, as individuals and as corporations, do all we can to help alleviate the pain and suffering of those whose lives have been forever changed by these events,” said Thomas R. Oliver, chairman and chief executive, Six Continents Hotels “We are humbled by the courage and dedication of the emergency relief workers and will continue to look for additional ways to help them during this extremely difficult time in all of our lives.”

“We plan to apply our corporate donations where they can meet the most pressing needs, but we also continue to stand ready to help families, friends and rescue workers with whatever expertise or resources that we can provide,” Oliver added.

In addition to Six Continents Hotels’ $1 million donation to the American Red Cross and September 11 Fund, the company has donated $200,000 to the American Red Cross through its Priority Club Worldwide Road to Recovery Program. This initiative provides members around the world the opportunity to donate program points in increments of 2,500 for a $10 American Red Cross cash donation. Donations are used to provide hotel rooms and other relief supplies for American Red Cross disaster-relief workers and people affected by the recent tragedies.