Hilton Group has agreed to sell its hotels division, Hilton International, to Hilton Hotels Corporation for £3.3 billion. The move, described as a “logical step” by HHC, follows the recent sale by Hilton Group of 16 UK properties for almost £400 million. The deal will again unite the Hilton brand in the US with more than 260 Hilton properties in the rest of the world.

The Park Plaza Beijing Wangfujing has opened in the Chinese capital´s commercial and shopping district. Park Plaza Beijing Wangfujing is set to become one of the leading mid-scale, full- service hotel for business and leisure travelers to the Chinese capital. Park Plaza Beijing Wangfujing, which is just minutes from some of the world´s most popular tourist attractions including The Forbidden City, The Imperial Place and Tiananmen Square, will be managed by Carlson Hotels Asia Pacific.

Resort Clubs International, Inc. has entered into a strategic marketing alliance with Sol Melia Vacation Club, one of the largest vacation club operators in the world, and their five-star resort Melia Caribe Tropical. Resort Clubs International, Inc. offers members of its Ambassador Club program access to national and international resorts and hotels.

Fairmont Hotels & Resorts Inc. (FHR) announced that it has sold The Fairmont Orchid, Hawaii to Westbrook Partners for $250 million. The resort will continue to be known as The Fairmont Orchid, Hawaii and will be managed by Fairmont under a long-term management contract. In December 2002, the Company purchased The Fairmont Orchid for $140 million. With the completion of this sale, Fairmont will realize a pre-tax gain of approximately $109 million. Fairmont is considering a number of alternatives for the sale proceeds, which it expects to reinvest in other hotel assets.

Club Med has reopened its new $60 million Club Med Buccaneer´s Creek resort on the French West Indies island of Martinique. The reopening of the resort, set on one of the island´s most beautiful beaches, represents an important step in Club Med´s ongoing global expansion and, the company suggests, “its commitment to the needs of today´s upscale traveler.”

Barely a week after breaking ground on a new Westin in St. Maarten, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide has signed a letter of intent to build the Westin Curacao Resort & Casino, a 350-room luxury hotel on the island that houses the capital of the Netherlands Antilles. Starwood is expected to operate the property, and it will reportedly invest a small amount of debt in the roughly $100 million construction of the project, which should be completed by 2008. The Dutch Antilles pension fund and the local government together are providing an additional $25 million and a long-term ground lease for the project.