Hyatt is first hotel chain to provide satellite radio free-of-charge at properties from coast to coast
Washington D.C., June 30, 2005 — Hyatt Hotels Corporation, a leading brand in luxury accommodations, and XM Satellite Radio, the nation’s leading satellite radio company, today announced a multi-year agreement to provide XM Satellite Radio service free-of-charge in guestrooms at Hyatt hotels nationwide. Starting this fall, XM and Hyatt will work to deploy service to more than 50,000 Hyatt guest rooms in the continental U.S.
Hyatt is the first hotel chain to offer complimentary satellite radio at properties across the continental U.S. Hyatt guests will be able to listen to XM’s 150-plus digital radio channels of commercial-free music and premier sports, news, talk, and entertainment on custom-designed XM tabletop radios located in each guestroom. An XM channel guide and promotional information will be available with the radios.
Together, the two companies will leverage the strength of their brand names to build awareness for each company’s respective award-winning product offerings. Included in the cross-promotional activities will be special XM hardware offers for Hyatt’s Gold Passport members, the company’s frequent guest program.
“Hyatt is excited to be at the forefront of in-room entertainment technology,” said Matt Adams, vice president of operations for Hyatt Hotels Corporation. “Being the first hotel company to offer the XM service chain-wide gives us a differentiating advantage over our upscale competitors. Our customers will have cutting-edge in-room radio technology and more than a hundred music and entertainment channels at their finger tips.”
“History has shown us that when people try XM, they want to subscribe to XM,” said Patricia Kesling, senior vice president of marketing and operations, XM Satellite Radio. “This long-term agreement will expose millions of Hyatt hotel guests to XM’s outstanding programming. Hyatt is one of the most respected hotel brands in the world and an ideal partner for our company.”
There are 211 hotels and resorts (over 90,000 rooms) in 43 countries around the world, operating under the Hyatt”, Hyatt Regency”, Grand Hyatt” and Park Hyatt” brands. Currently, there are an additional 27 Hyatt hotels and resorts under development, including 10 new hotels in China. Hyatt Corporation (domestic U.S., Canada and Caribbean hotels) and Hyatt International Corporation (international properties) are subsidiaries of Chicago-based Global Hyatt Corporation. Global Hyatt Corporation is also the owner of Hyatt Vacation Ownership Inc. (timeshare), Hyatt Equities, L.L.C. (hotel ownership), and U.S. Franchise Systems, Inc. (which franchises Hawthorn Suites, Microtel and America’s Best Inns).
In January 2005, Global Hyatt Corporation also added an additional 143 U.S. properties to its growing portfolio with the acquisition of the upscale, limited service AmeriSuites hotel chain. These properties will be repositioned and renamed under a new Hyatt brand by early 2006.
From the U.S. and Canada, reservations for any Hyatt hotel worldwide may be obtained by calling 1-800-233-1234 or logging onto www.hyatt.com.
About XM Satellite Radio
XM is America’s number one satellite radio service with more than 4 million subscribers. Broadcasting live daily from studios in Washington, DC, New York City and Nashville at the Country Music Hall of Fame, XM’s 2005 lineup includes more than 150 digital channels of choice from coast to coast: 67 commercial-free music channels, featuring hip hop to opera, classical to country, bluegrass to blues; 64 channels of premier sports, talk, comedy, children’s and entertainment programming; and 21 channels of the most advanced traffic and weather information for major metropolitan areas nationwide. XM Satellite Radio is the satellite radio leader in sports programming, offering thousands of live sporting events every year. XM is the official satellite radio network for Major League Baseball, NASCAR, the Indy Racing League, the PGA TOUR, and the college sports conferences ACC, Pac-10, and Big Ten. XM was named Best Radio Service at the 2004 Billboard Digital Entertainment Awards.
XM, the leader in satellite-delivered entertainment and data services for the automobile market through partnerships with General Motors, Honda, Toyota, Hyundai, Nissan and Volkswagen/Audi, is available in more than 120 different vehicle models for 2005. XM also is available in Avis, National, and Alamo rental cars. XM is the exclusive in-flight entertainment service for AirTran Airways, and will soon be available on JetBlue flights. Consumers can experience XM over the Internet through XM Radio Online at http://listen.xmradio.com. Soon, XM and America Online will launch the world’s largest combined digital radio network to be promoted to an audience of 100 million consumers online. For more information about XM hardware, programming and partnerships, please visit http://www.xmradio.com.
