MINNEAPOLIS (May 6, 2008) -- Carlson Hotels Worldwide today announced that it has signed franchise or management agreements for more than 50 new properties in the first quarter of 2008.  The new hotels and resorts span 19 countries, including one Regent hotel; 14 Radisson properties; two Rezidor managed Radisson hotels; 18 Country Inn & Suites By Carlsonsm properties; six Park Plaza hotels; and ten Park Inn locations. Carlson's worldwide portfolio currently totals 990 hotels with nearly 149,500 rooms in 71 countries.

"We're seeing heightened engagement with our brands from developers and owners around the world which is a strong reinforcement of our global growth strategy of building solid relationships with key development partners to expand our brand presence in each global theater," said Jay Witzel, president and CEO of Carlson Hotels Worldwide.  "As we continue with this aggressive expansion throughout the year, we remain focused on providing our guests with the highest quality hotels and resorts in a wide variety of both leading and emerging destinations."

The following hotels have signed franchise or management agreements with Carlson Hotels Worldwide and are scheduled to open by 2010:

Regent Hotels & Resorts
Regent Hotels & Resorts signed one property in early 2008 with the Regent Manila Bay, Philippines. The Regent Manila Bay will be located on Seaside Boulevard in the Mall of Asia Complex, a 148-acre commercial and business complex that includes a convention center, business district, waterfront esplanade and the 4,155,000-square-foot SM Mall of Asia.  A destination shopping and dining complex that attracts nearly one million visitors per weekend, the SM Mall of Asia offers the country's first IMAX theatre, an Olympic-sized skating rink, 600 international retail stores and 150 restaurants.

Opening fall 2009, The Regent Manila Bay will be part of a unique hotel-within- a-hotel development, offering five-star luxury accommodations within the Radisson Hotel Manila Bay.

Radisson Hotels & Resorts
Radisson Hotels & Resorts signed 14 properties in 10 countries including Thailand, Libya, Kenya, Canada and India.

The Radisson Hotel Maldives Hulhumale - Kaafu Atoll, Maldives is located on Hulhumale Island, north of Male, and will provide a private jetty for transportation to and from the hotel. Opening in early 2010, the hotel will feature 250 rooms, an ocean-view restaurant and a health club including a gym and spa. The property will also offer extensive ballroom and banqueting facilities, establishing itself as the only international hotel in the vicinity of Male with specially designed conference services.

Rezidor Managed Radisson Hotels & Resorts
Rezidor signed two new Radisson SAS Hotels & Resorts properties in the first quarter of 2008, including the Radisson SAS Olympic Hotel, Minsk, Belarus and Radisson SAS Hotel, Madrid Prado.

At the end of 2009, the Radisson SAS Hotel, Madrid Prado will open it doors in Spain's capital. The hotel is the conversion of an existing building in an absolutely unique location: in front of the famous Prado Museum and next to the new cultural art center "CaixaForum." All 54 rooms (including six suites) as well as all public areas will be designed by Sandra Tarruella and Isabel Lopez – both are amongst Spain's best Interior Designers and known for outstanding projects such as the sophisticated "Hotel Omm" in Barcelona. Further services of the new hotel will be a restaurant, a bar, meeting facilities and a spa/fitness centre. All major attractions of Madrid are within walking distance from the hotel – such as the Thyssen Bornemisza Museum, the Reina Sofia Museum and the Gran Via, the main shopping and entertainment avenue.

Country Inns & Suites By Carlson
Country Inns & Suites By Carlson signed 18 new properties, with ten in the U.S., seven in India and one in Canada.

Country Inn & Suites By Carlson, Sahibabad, India will be positioned as a 4- star fully vegetarian hotel, comprising approximately 220 guest rooms and suites. The hotel will feature a lobby lounge, specialty restaurant and bar, business centre, banquet hall, executive floor, club lounge and gift shop. Sahibabad (Ghaziabad) lies on the north-western tip of the state of Uttar Pradesh, at a distance of approximately 9 miles from Central Delhi. The hotel is scheduled to open in late 2009.

Country Inn & Suites By Carlson, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport will be the third Country Inn & Suites property in the greater Austin Area when it opens in 2010. Located adjacent to the airport and just minutes from downtown Austin, the hotel will feature 70 rooms and suites that offer free high-speed Internet access throughout the hotel. The hotel will be close to several attractions including Highland Mall, the Austin Convention Center, the Texas State Capitol and several golf courses.

Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts
Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts signed six new properties with two in India, two in China, one hotel in London and one hotel in Qatar.

Opening in 2010, the Park Plaza Mylapore - Chennai, India is located in the prime commercial district of Mylapore, close to the beach. The hotel features 140 rooms, including suites and Club rooms on a special Club floor. All rooms will feature iPod docks and Herman Miller aeron chairs. Special features at the hotel include a roof-top restaurant overlooking Marina beach as well as a roof top swimming pool. The hotel will also offer three banquet halls and four meeting rooms as well as a business center and several virtual office spaces.

Located at Hong Qiao Road at the entrance to the airport, the Park Plaza Shanghai Hong Qiao - Shanghai, China features 313 rooms with an Executive lounge on the 12th floor. In addition to a fitness center and swimming pool, the hotel also provides a business center, large ballroom and other meeting facilities. The property is scheduled to open in 2009.

Park Inn
Park Inn signed ten new properties in eight countries including Russia, Senegal, India and Germany.

The Park Inn Sandton, Johannesburg, South Africa will be situated directly across the road from the Gautrain Sandton Station, and will have the benefit of being the closest hotel to the underground station which will link commuters on South Africa's first underground railway system directly to the OR Tambo International Airport, Rosebank and Pretoria CBD's. The JSE (Johannesburg Stock Exchange), multinationals and Convention Centre are located less than one mile away, and the property is a short distance from some of the best shopping areas in the world, Sandton City and Nelson Mandela Square. The hotel will welcome guests beginning in April 2010. For more information about all of Carlson Hotels Worldwide brands, visit online at www.carlsonhotels.com.

Carlson Hotels Worldwide includes 990 locations in 71 countries.  Specific brands include: Regent Hotels & Resorts® (www.regenthotels.com); Radisson Hotels & Resorts® (www.radisson.com); Park Plaza® Hotels & Resorts (www.parkplaza.com); Country Inns & Suites By CarlsonSM (www.countryinns.com); and Park Inn® (www.parkinn.com).  Carlson Hotels Worldwide is one of the major operating groups of Carlson, a global leader in providing corporate solutions and consumer services in the marketing, travel and hospitality industries. Other names among the Carlson family of brands and services are: Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Carlson Marketing, Carlson Wagonlit Travel, T.G.I. Friday's and Pick Up Stix restaurants. The company has been recognized by both Fortune and Working Mother magazines as one of the "100 best places to work for in America," Carlson corporate headquarters are in Minneapolis, Minn.

The Rezidor Hotel Group is one of the fastest growing hotel companies in the world. The group features a portfolio of 334 hotels in operation and under development with more than 68,100 rooms in 51 countries.

Rezidor operates the brands Radisson SAS Hotels & Resorts, Regent Hotels & Resorts, Park Inn and Country Inns & Suites in Europe, Middle East and Africa, along with the goldpoints plusSM loyalty program for frequent hotel guests.

The Rezidor Hotel Group is based in Brussels, Belgium. For more information on Rezidor, visit www.rezidor.com.