Country Inns & Suites

MINNEAPOLIS (June 13, 2000) - Country Inns & Suites By Carlson, a division of Minneapolis, Minn.-based Carlson Hospitality Worldwide and parent company Carlson Companies, Inc., today announced it has entered into the Australian lodging market with two properties set to open in 2001 in Adelaide, South Australia and Joondalup, Western Australia. Country Inns & Suites master franchisee, Country Lodging Australia Pty. Ltd., has developed the properties which will offer a total of 140 guest rooms.

Country Inns & Suites joins its Carlson sister companies, Radisson Hotels & Resorts, Regent International Hotels, T.G.I. Friday's restaurants, Carlson Marketing Group, and Carlson Wagonlit Travel, in Australia, providing synergistic strength between the brands. Radisson Hotels & Resorts has 11 hotels throughout Australia and The Regent Sydney is a prominent hotel located on Sydney Harbour. In addition, Carlson Marketing Group, the marketing services division of Carlson Companies, has three regional offices in Australia located in Melbourne and Sydney, while Carlson Wagonlit Travel and T.G.I. Friday's have several locations throughout the region. One of Carlson Hospitality's industry-leading hotel reservation centers is also located in Sydney.

"Carlson has invested major business initiatives in Australia and will continue to grow throughout the region," said Paul Kirwin, president, Country Inns & Suites By Carlson. "Australia is especially important to the growth of Country Inns & Suites because its economic maturity and cultural heritage make it a natural place to successfully develop the brand," added Kirwin.

"To have a major hospitality, travel and marketing conglomerate like Carlson behind us is important to our growth in Australia," said Michael Hughes, chief executive of Country Lodging Australia Pty. Ltd. "Carlson's global strength is a very strategic link for us because it provides the presence and recognition that will be important for the brand as we grow throughout the country."

According to Hughes, the lodging industry is in its infancy in Australia and will take over where serviced apartment and independent motel developments leave off. He believes prototypical mid-market hotel products will represent a significant proportion of additional accommodation supply in years to come. "Generic, independent serviced apartment projects, without a focus on the long term yields from the business operating within them, have a limited future," explained Hughes. Investors and financiers are now only interested in the ability of the business to make consistent returns.

The Country Lodging business model is contemporary with an emphasis on quality and technology in the development of properties, in operations and in-room night distribution. "Country Inns & Suites' quality is consistently managed on a global basis," said Hughes.

Country Inns & Suites has locations in the U.S., Canada, Germany, Austria, the United Kingdom, Panama and Indonesia. In addition to Australia, the brand will soon open several properties in India.

For the eighth year in a row, Country Inns & Suites has earned a 98 percent guest satisfaction rating, one of the highest in the industry. Country Inns & Suites locations feature traditional architecture and sophisticated residential interior design with hardwood flooring and hand-stenciled ceiling borders. Each hotel welcomes guests with traditional furnishings that blend rich woods and elegant floral-patterned fabrics.

The rooms offer many amenities often found at higher-priced hotels such as complimentary breakfast, in-room coffee maker, in-room iron and ironing board, and weekday morning newspaper. Country Inns & Suites is known for its consistently high quality accommodations and personal, warm hospitality.

For reservations and information, call "Countryline" reservations from the following areas: 800-456-4000 (U.S. and Canada); 0130-82-5435 (Germany); 0660-7584 (Austria); 001-803-61-411 (Indonesia); 0130-82-5435 (Mexico); 001-800-507-1067 (Panama); and 0-800-973217 (United Kingdom).

Country Inns & Suites By Carlson is part of Minneapolis, Minn.-based Carlson Hospitality Worldwide whose operations also include Radisson Hotels & Resorts, Regent International Hotels, Carlson Lifestyle Living, Carlson Vacation Ownership, Carlson Restaurants Worldwide which includes T.G.I. Friday's and eight other restaurant brands, Radisson Seven Seas Cruises and Provisions, a global purchasing company.

Carlson Hospitality Worldwide is one of the major operating groups of Carlson Companies, Inc., a company consistently recognized by Fortune magazine as one of the largest privately held corporations in the U.S. Other divisions within Carlson Companies include Carlson Marketing Group, a worldwide marketing services company operating in 23 countries; Carlson Leisure Group, responsible for leisure travel ventures around the globe; and Carlson Wagonlit Travel, a world leader in business travel management. Carlson Companies systemwide sales under its brands reached more than $31 billion in 1999. Corporate headquarters are located in Minneapolis, Minn.

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Betsy Day
Public Relations Director
763 212-1433
Radisson Hotel Group