08/01/2008: Hotusa Hotels added 316 establishments during 2007

In 2007, Hotusa Hotels added a total of 316 establishments to the portfolio, thus reaffirming their privileged position amongst the major hotel groups world-wide. Of the total number of hotels that joined the consortium over the past year, 137 are on Spanish soil and 179 are spread over 42 different countries, amongst which the company made a noteworthy debut in China, Cuba and Mozambique.

The total figure for 2007 includes the latest 28 hotels which were added to the group during the month of December. As detailed on the attached table, over this period 15 establishments were added to the Hotusa international portfolio, located in France (5), Czech Republic (4), Italy (3), plus Austria, Belgium and Andorra with one each. The 13 Spanish hotels are distributed over the Valencia Region (3), Asturias (2), Navarre (2), Castile & Leon (2) and Andalusia, Galicia, Rioja and Madrid, each with one establishment.

The objective of the organization is to enlarge and diversify its portfolio with the addition of hotels both in the traditional destinations as well as in the emergent tourist marketplaces on a world-wide scale. In this context, during 2007 the hotel group has disembarked in new, strategic locations, such as China, a destination in which is the forecast is to continually increase its presence given the enormous tourist interest that this destination arouses as host to the 2008 Olympic Games. It should also be noted that another of Hotusa Hotels' targets for this new year is to enlarge their portfolio in India or other South-East Asian countries.

The chain of independent hotels has made their entrance throughout the past year in another of the tourist areas with optimum growth expectations: the Balkans. In May, the first associated establishment in Montenegro was included, while Croatia was added to the list in June, with five hotels. 2007 has also been the year that marked the entrance of Hotusa Hotels in Mozambique, with the addition of four establishments situated in the main tourist resorts in this South African country.

The activity carried out by the hotel group last year also reached two major tourist destinations in Latin America. On the one hand, Hotusa Hotels included in October their first two associated hotels in Cuba; two urban luxury hotels located in Havana. On the other, the chain of independent hotels made its debut at the beginning of the year in Venezuela.

The third largest hotel consortium in the world

Hotusa Hotels is in the lead at European level and in third place at world level with regard to the number of associated establishments figuring on the prestigious ranking of the '25 major companies world-wide devoted to marketing and booking services for hotels', drawn up by the U.S. HOTELS Magazine (www.hotelsmag.com), which is based on 2006 reports.

The privileged position of the hotel consortium in Europe is also ratified by having gained first place on the annual ranking of the main hotel groups with presence in Europe, carried out by the French HTR Magazine (www.httr.fr).

The Hotusa portfolio now consists of more than 2,000 associated establishments distributed throughout 27 European destinations: Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Holland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Montenegro, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Rumania, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Turkey; 9 Latin American countries: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru and Venezuela, 4 African countries: Morocco, Mozambique, Tunisia and South Africa; 1 Asian country: China; plus the United States of America and Canada. In 2007, the company implemented a new system of categories in five ranges (Luxury Class, Excellence, Premier, Comfort and Basic) that is intended to define in a more precise manner the standards of its facilities, décor and furnishings and the quality and services provided by the establishments, independently from the classifications given by the countries or regions where they are located.