WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., Feb. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- The PGA TOUR has named
Starwood Hotels & Resorts as its Official Hotel, Resort, Vacation Ownership
and Loyalty Program. Starwood, which owns and operates Westin, Sheraton,
St. Regis, Luxury Collection, Four Points by Sheraton and W Hotels, becomes
the TOUR's sole hotel partner.
With more than 55 golf properties worldwide, including nine of Conde Nast
Traveler's Top 50 Best Golf Resorts, Starwood is the hotel industry's premier
golf company. Starwood's partnership with the PGA TOUR marks the beginning of
an aggressive golf marketing program designed to capitalize on the company's
significant golf portfolio.
As a major component of this partnership, all PGA TOUR and SENIOR PGA TOUR
members have been invited to enroll as elite members of Starwood Preferred
Guest, the company's frequent guest program. As a result, 300 PGA TOUR and
SENIOR PGA TOUR members have already become active members of Starwood
Preferred Guest. A select group of players will also have the opportunity to
earn Starpoints -- currency to be used for free hotel stays -- in return for
their participation in Starwood promotional, advertising and marketing
activities.
"With world-renowned golf courses like Turnberry in Scotland, the Orchid
at Mauna Lani in Hawaii and Sheraton Tamarron in Colorado, plus our upscale
customer demographic, our alliance with the PGA TOUR is a great strategic
fit," said Scott K. Barrett, Starwood's vice president of strategic alliance
marketing. "During the next year, Starwood will debut several exciting golf
marketing programs, and our sponsorship with the PGA TOUR partners us with the
world's premier golf organization."
"We are very excited to forge an alliance with Starwood," said Tom Wade,
PGA TOUR Senior Vice President of Business Development and Marketing. "Our
players travel on a weekly basis and with Starwood's more than 450 hotels in
North America, they will be able to take full advantage of the Starwood
Preferred Guest membership benefits and the Starpoints they will receive. We
look forward to working with Starwood on the development of golf marketing
programs that appeal to the frequent traveler and PGA TOUR fan."
Starwood will have the opportunity to leverage the relationship through
TOUR-themed advertising, merchandising and promotions that appeal to consumers
who are golf fans and frequent travelers.
About Starwood Hotels & Resorts
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) is one of the
leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with more than 725 properties
in 80 countries and 120,000 employees at its owned and managed properties.
With internationally renowned brands, Starwood is a fully integrated owner,
operator and franchiser of hotels and resorts including: St. Regis, The Luxury
Collection, Sheraton, Westin, Four Points by Sheraton, W brands, as well as
Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and operators
of high quality vacation interval ownership resorts. For more information,
please visit them at http://www.starwoodhotels.com.
About the PGA TOUR
The PGA TOUR is a tax-exempt membership organization of professional
golfers. Its primary purpose is to provide significant competitive and
earnings opportunities for its past, current and future members of the PGA
TOUR, SENIOR PGA TOUR and BUY.COM TOUR; to protect the integrity of the game;
and to help grow the reach of the game in the U.S. and around the world.
More than 125 events are being contested on the three tours in 2001, for
more than $250 million in prize money. In addition to providing competitive
opportunities for its membership, TOUR events also generate significant sums
of money for charity. TOUR events have raised approximately $575 million for
charity since 1938, the first year such records were kept. The PGA TOUR's web
site address is http://www.pgatour.com.
SOURCE Starwood Hotels & Resorts
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Related links:
http://www.starwoodhotels.com
Company News On-Call:
http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/443150.html or fax,
800-758-5804, ext. 443150
CONTACT:
Chris Smith of PGA TOUR, 904-273-3379; K.C.
Kavanagh of Starwood, 914-640-8339
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