Preferred Hotel Group’s "The Giving Room" Benefits Local Charities Worldwide
First Ever GIFTTS Global Philanthropic Program Exceeds Expectations
CHICAGO – November 7, 2007 – Preferred Hotel Group, in cooperation with 17 participating member hotels and resorts, announced today that its first-ever member social action program, "The Giving Room", exceeded fundraising expectations. Raising almost $20,000 in total donations for charitable organizations in seven countries, the initiative generated nearly $100,000 in room revenue for participating hotels. The program, which ran from June 1 through September 30, donated 10 percent of the nightly revenue of each property’s "Giving Room" to the hotel’s pre-selected charity of choice. In addition, the Ueberroth Family Foundation is matching each donation.
"The Giving Room" is an outgrowth of Preferred Hotel Group’s GIFTTS program which stands for Great Initiatives for Today’s (Tomorrow’s) Society, a recognition initiative launched in August 2006. Designed to acknowledge and encourage exceptional actions by member hotels and employees in the areas of philanthropy, environment and community (www.phggiftts.com), GIFTTS applauds socially responsible Preferred Hotel Group members.
"We recognize that the modern traveler is an engaged citizen, looking for ways to incorporate philanthropy into their travel opportunities," said John Ueberroth, Chairman and CEO, Preferred Hotel Group. "The Giving Room" enabled our guests to seamlessly and positively impact the local communities to which they were traveling. We applaud our members for their commitment and are pleased to match their charitable donation through our family foundation."
"The Giving Room" idea is credited to Hotel Derek in Houston, Texas, which originated the concept last year with great success. Building on the excellent support the hotel received from guests, employees and the local community, Preferred Hotel Group expanded the program as a global philanthropic opportunity across its family of five brands: Preferred Hotels® & Resorts, Preferred Boutique, Summit Hotels & Resorts, Sterling Hotels and Historic Hotels of America.
The following is a list of participating members and their selected charities:
- The Angler’s Boutique Resort, Miami Beach, Fla., USA, Woman’s Fund of Miami-Dade County
- Alden Houston, Houston, Texas, USA, UNICEF
- Bogotá Plaza Summit Hotel, Bogotá, Colombia,"Fundación Renacer"
- The Charles Hotel, Cambridge, Mass., USA, The Guidance Center, Inc.
- Clayton on the Park, A Hotel & Residence, Clayton, Mo., USA, Judevine Center for Autism, Juvenile Diabetes
- Delfines Hotel & Casino, Lima, Peru, Los Delfines Research Center
- Dromoland Castle, County Clare, Ireland, Barnardos
- Ginn Reunion Resort, Reunion, Fla., USA, First Book
- Hotel Derek, Houston, Texas, USA, Lone Star Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society
- Hotel Istana, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, National Cancer Society
- Hotel Majestic, Barcelona, Spain, Intermón Oxfam
- Peter Island Resort, Peter Island, British Virgin Islands, Virgin Islands Search & Rescue (VISAR) and Kids And The Sea (KATS)
- The Huntley Hotel, Santa Monica, Calif., USA, Cedars Sinai Board of Governors Center for Cancer Research
- The Landmark Bangkok, Bangkok, Thailand, Red Cross Charity (Based in Thailand)
- Metropolitan Hotel Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Toronto Hospital for Sick Children
- The Mosaic Hotel, Beverly Hills, Calif., USA, Make-a-Wish Foundation
- SoHo Metropolitan Hotel Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Toronto Hospital for Sick Children
Several members have chosen to extend their "Giving Room" well beyond the initial three-month initiative as they and their guests found it extremely motivating.
"This program has inspired everyone at the SoHo Metropolitan Toronto, from our guests to our front desk agents," said David Kelley, General Manager. "It has been an extremely successful program here at the hotel and one we felt made a difference. It just makes sense to continue our support."
Members’ charitable choices span the globe and include projects such as Barcelona’s chapter of ‘Intermón Oxfam,’ which organizes development programs and humanitarian and risk reduction projects worldwide and Bogotá, Colombia’s ‘Fundación Renacer,’ an organization that helps children who have faced sexual abuse and slavery. In the United States, charities such as The Guidance Center, Inc., the largest provider of developmental, mental health and family support services in Cambridge, Massachusetts and First Book, an organization dedicated to providing disadvantaged children with new books, are among the designated beneficiaries. For more information on GIFTTS and "The Giving Room" please visit www.phggiftts.com.
About Preferred Hotel Group
Preferred Hotel Group is a global leader in the hospitality industry, delivering high-performance sales, marketing, and technology solutions to 600+ independent hotels and resorts in more than 65 countries. Its family of brands represents a collection of the finest hotels in the world and includes Preferred Hotels® & Resorts, (www.preferredhotels.com); Preferred Boutique (www.preferredboutique.com); Summit Hotels & Resorts (www.summithotels.com); and Sterling Hotels (www.sterlinghotels.com), and now Historic Hotels of America (www.historichotels.org). For more information please visit www.preferredhotelgroup.com
In Fall 2007, the company entered the luxury real estate market with the launch of Preferred Residences. The new brand’s exclusive luxury branded exchange provides an exceptional level of service and amenities. Properties are held to service standards derived from the same Preferred Global Standards of Excellence™ on which the company has built its 40-year reputation in the hospitality industry. For more information please visit www.preferredresidences.com.
CONTACT: Nichole DiBenedetto / Laura Mooney
Middleton & Gendron, Inc.
+1 (212) 980-9231 / +1 (212) 980-9232
EMAIL: ndibenedetto@mg-pr.com
/ lmooney@mg-pr.com
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