Associated Luxury Hotels Internationa

CHICAGO, IL (October 11, 2011) – Associated Luxury Hotels International (ALHI) has launched its new global solution Associated Destinations Worldwide (ADW), which is a new Global Sales Organization (GSO). Built upon ALHI’s 25 years of National Sales experience, ADW will specifically promote world-class member destinations, upper-tier hotels, and first-class convention facilities from around the world to U.S. and Canadian meeting planners, association executives, incentive/recognition specialists, and business executives. The announcement was made by David Gabri, president and CEO of ALHI and also now of ADW.

ALHI is a prestigious National Sales Organization (NSO), which exclusively provides dedicated NSO services and sales support for its distinctive portfolio of more than 130 Four- and Five-Diamond quality hotels and resorts to the meetings and incentive marketplace.

ADW is a dedicated business unit of ALHI that serves North American companies and associations by developing outbound international group programs specifically for its members worldwide. ADW is the first and only company in the United States to offer authorized Global Sales services and expertise for international destinations on a national level across America.

ADW is under the direction of David Gabri and Kevin Hinton, executive vice president of ALHI and also now of ADW, two of the most highly respected members of the meetings and hospitality industries. Gabri is Past Chairman of the Meeting Professionals International (MPI) Foundation Board of Trustees, and was a member of the International Board of Directors for MPI. Gabri also was the sole recipient of the American Society of Association Executives’ (ASAE) prestigious “Academy of Leaders Award” in 2010, which is ASAE’s highest individual honor. Hinton, who also is the Chairman-Elect for Meeting Professionals International (MPI), is responsible for overseeing ADW day-to-day sales operations and services. The ALHI-ADW leadership team also includes Executive Vice President Don Macumber and Executive Vice President & CFO Mike Coutu.

“ADW provides a dedicated and cost-effective strategy and platform for international Member destinations, convention centers, tourism boards, convention and visitor bureaus, and upper-tier hotels and resorts to attract meetings, conventions/congresses, and incentive/recognition travel programs emanating from North America to their destination,” said Gabri. “The launch of ADW enables us to balance our high-quality ALHI sales force with the escalating account demand for our NSO services -- both domestically and internationally -- with our desire to maintain and grow sales success for all of our Members.

” Hinton added, “ADW serves corporate planners, association executives, incentive specialists, and business executives with an experienced, skilled, and dedicated team of Global Sales specialists. The ADW team will enable the ALHI National Sales professionals to focus primarily on business for our Members in North America, as ADW focuses on serving our global Members. We believe this combination will enable us to best serve Accounts with expert insight, innovative solutions, and connected relationships.”

ADW Announces Grand Resorts At Cap Cana As New Member

In announcing the launch of ADW, Gabri also announced that the luxurious Grand Resorts at Cap Cana collection in Cap Cana, Dominican Republic has joined as ADW’s newest member.

Grand Resorts at Cap Cana joins such other exceptional and distinctive ADW members as Paradisus Palma Real Resort (in Playa de Bavaro, Dominican Republic), Paradisus Punta Cana Resort (in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic), InterContinental London Park Lane (in London, England), InterContinental Paris Le Grand (in Paris, France), Half Moon (in Montego Bay, Jamaica), and Atlantis The Palm (in Dubai, United Arab Emirates). Prior to the launch of ADW, these members were part of ALHI’s worldwide portfolio, but will now receive the added benefits of ADW’s dedicated team of sales professionals that exclusively specialize in connecting meetings and incentive buyers in North America with international members.

Featuring an incredible Mediterranean seaside setting on the eastern tip of the Dominican Republic, the exclusive Grand Resorts at Cap Cana, a Salamander Caribbean Collection, will now receive dedicated GSO sales services and support by ADW to the North American meetings, incentives, conferences, and events marketplace.

Grand Resorts at Cap Cana features three distinctive resorts and hotels, which will each be served by ADW, and this includes: Fishing Lodge Cap Cana, opened October 12, 2011, with 298 spacious Mediterranean-style villas with stunning marina and ocean views, and 30,000 square feet of event spaces, including a spectacular outdoor amphitheater; the luxurious and oceanfront Sanctuary Cap Cana, featuring 176 suites and villas, and 18,279 square feet of dedicated meeting and function space; and Ocean Club Cap Cana, opening in 2012 as a 113-room boutique-style hotel, situated where the picturesque marina meets the Caribbean Sea.

Offerings at Cap Cana include the Jack Nicklaus-designed Punta Espada Golf Course, which features more oceanfront holes than any other layout in the Western hemisphere, and was ranked the best golf course in the Caribbean and Mexico by Golfweek magazine. A second golf course, Las Iguanas, is due to open in 2012. Additional offerings available to groups and guests at Grand Resorts at Cap Cana include the Caribbean’s largest inland marina, a world-class spa, exceptional gourmet restaurants, elegant shops, a casino, multiple bars, spectacular pools, boat rentals, sport fishing, and access to a secluded and pristine sugar-white sand beach.

“Grand Resorts at Cap Cana is a fantastic choice for meetings and incentive/recognition programs,” said Hinton. “This spectacular destination with magnificent resort choices offers world-class accommodations and meeting space, outstanding recreational offerings, and an exceptionally beautiful setting. Factor in the great airlift from Punta Cana International Airport, just 10 minutes away, and it is an outstanding choice for programs.”

ADW Advances International Destinations That Welcome North American Groups

The ADW GSO sales team consists of highly experienced, internationally trained and culturally astute ADW Global Sales specialists who focus on international business development.

As ALHI’s Global Sales arm, ADW and its sales team are supported by ALHI’s respected and dedicated national sales operation which features 16 National Sales Offices (NSO) located across North America, with its team of 50 sales professionals. ADW will initially feature three GSO sales offices, strategically located in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Chicago, with future plans for additional ADW staff in Los Angeles and beyond.

In addition to ALHI’s impressive 25 years of experience with the meetings marketplace, ADW also is able to capitalize upon Hinton’s experience as past CEO of hinton+grusich. During hinton+grusich’s 24 years of sales operations it also specialized in serving select cities and convention bureaus as members. This experience will prove very beneficial as ADW will be marketing, promoting and selling the international destination members to meetings professionals.

“The meetings industry in North America demanded this new GSO approach, as no other company in the U.S. offers this extensive sales and marketing service on a national level, directed specifically on the M.I.C.E. sectors,” said Hinton. “Our ALHI clients in particular requested that we provide ALHI-level service for international destinations that appeal to groups from the U.S. and Canada. They trust their ALHI relationship and know that ALHI will only represent the best. ADW will advance that service level with international destinations that welcome North American groups.”

Gabri added, “ADW is a win-win situation, as executives, meeting planners and incentive specialists in North America are now able to quickly and easily discuss a variety of appealing international options for their programs with reliable one-call professional sales assistance. They are now able to actually speak and meet with experienced ADW global sales professionals in America who are equipped with first-hand knowledge and capabilities of the ADW members. At the same time, exceptional destinations and hotels outside of North America can now be regularly discussed and presented as a viable option or meeting solution to thousands of potential meeting clients which already have a strong working relationship built on trust with the ALHI team. It is a great way for both parties to connect. Further, it is important to note that ADW is a dues-funded organization, provided by the destinations and hotels that we serve, as a local GSO service at no cost to the planners or the organizations they serve.”

Hinton added, “ADW is a comprehensive M.I.C.E. sales solution for international venues. Rather than a destination or hotel having just one representative in New York City, who often can struggle to establish relationships with and capture the attention of executives, meeting professionals and incentive specialists across America, ADW GSO and the ALHI NSO professionals will leverage existing relationships and 25 years service reputation with accounts and clients with a strong foundation built on trust and results. The destinations and hotels we serve will be brought into the ‘conversation’ for new business opportunities. Add in ADW’s access to ALHI’s proprietary database of accounts and contacts built over the past 25 years – which include records for a significant number of accounts which have growing and ongoing demand for international destinations – and ADW’s sales support to international destinations will be unmatched.”

“Meeting planners are so busy these days that they often prefer a fewer number of highly reliable contact relationships who can provide multiple destination options at one time,” said Hinton. “We know they depend on their NSO and GSO relationships more and more. ALHI and ADW combine as a unique and experienced solution serving North American meeting professionals and executives the way they want to be served.”

“Plus, for our Members, when you address the significant cost-effectiveness of ADW for the destinations – which are essentially joining an exclusive sales association of quality destinations focused on the North American group sectors -- ADW really is the ideal solution for them to reach their objectives in North America, while we continue to serve accounts as they wish to be served,” said Hinton.

For more information about Associated Destinations Worldwide, contact Kevin Hinton at (312) 346-5768, and visit www.adw-gso.com . For more information about ALHI, to inquire about a future meeting at any of the ALHI member properties, and/or to acquire a free copy of ALHI’s new “2011-2012 ALHI National Sales Guide To Meeting Facilities,” contact your nearest ALHI National Sales Office, call the “ALHI Group Desk” toll-free at 866-303-ALHI (2544), and visit www.alhi.com.

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PR Contact: Karen Lamonica at (407) 788-7070, ext. 208 or klamonica@chisano.com Note: High-resolution photos of David Gabri, Kevin Hinton, ALHI member properties, and ADW member properties, are available by contacting Karen Lamonica.