London, Istanbul & Beverly Hills, Calif. – Hilton Hotels Corporation today announced it has entered into a Franchise License Agreement with Durmazlar Makina Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş. to open two new Hilton Family properties in Bursa, in the north west of Turkey.

The 170-room upscale Hilton Bursa Convention Centre & Spa and 106-room Hampton by Hilton Bursa will be located next to each other and will represent the first dual-branded development in the country by HHC, as well as the Turkish debut of the company’s value-conscious Hampton by Hilton brand. It will also see the hotelier operating a choice of four different hotel brands in Turkey, reflecting Hilton’s commitment to growing its presence in key strategic markets.

“It is clear that there continues to be significant potential to develop the hotel sector across Turkey and fulfil demand for quality accommodation in key Turkish cities and regional locations,” said Patrick Fitzgibbon, Senior Vice President Development, Europe & Africa, Hilton Hotels Corporation. “This agreement will enable us to continue to accelerate our expansion plans through the introduction of our extensive Hilton Family of Hotels.”

“From Hampton by Hilton to our renowned Hilton hotels, we are well-positioned to provide high-quality accommodations for Turkish and international travellers within a broad range of price points, amenity choices and geographic locations,” said Paul Brown, president – global brands and shared services, Hilton Hotels Corporation.

Welcoming this announcement, Huseyin Durmaz, President Durmazlar Makina Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş commented: “We are delighted to be teaming up with Hilton Hotels Corporation in our first major hotel venture in Turkey. As one of the most prestigious names in the hospitality industry, Hilton brings instant international recognition and a strong brand image. Combined with our expertise and knowledge of operating in Bursa we are confident that this alliance will be a huge success.” Scheduled to debut in the second quarter of 2011, the new hotels will build Hilton Family’s presence in Bursa to three Hilton Family properties and some 430 rooms. Last year the company announced plans to introduce a new Hilton Garden Inn property in 2010, under a separate non-exclusive Strategic Development Agreement with a leading Turkish property partner. This hotel will be located close to the Demirtaş Organised Industrial Area to the northeast of the city.

As Turkey’s fourth largest city, Bursa boasts a population of over two million people and is an important centre of trade and industry. The newly built Hilton and Hampton by Hilton properties will be located close to the main highway connecting Bursa and Istanbul, and just a few kilometres from the city centre. Close by is a key business and manufacturing area, as well as a large shopping mall. The city is just 40 minutes drive from the slopes of Mount Uludağ Ski Resort, Turkey’s main winter sports destination.

The company has earmarked Turkey - along with Germany, Russia, the UK, the Iberian Peninsula and Italy - as a key market for extensive development and growth through the introduction of the Hilton Family of Hotels.

The country currently ranks as Hilton’s most successful international development market and now boasts the largest pipeline of any global hotel group. Under separate non-exclusive Strategic Development Agreements (SDAs) with two leading Turkish property partners*, Hilton Family is expected to introduce 40 properties (comprising 5,500 rooms) over the next five years. The company is also set to debut its first resort property in the country, when it opens Hilton Dalaman Golf Resort & Spa this summer.

Hilton has a long and established history in Turkey, opening its first hotel, Hilton Istanbul, in 1955. The company currently operates eight properties - seven Hilton hotels and one Conrad hotel - across six locations (Adana, Ankara, Istanbul, Izmir, Kayseri, Mersin).

*In December 2007, Hilton Hotels Corporation signed an SDA with Amplio to develop up to 15 hotels, and has signed management contracts for six Hilton Garden Inn properties so far. In addition to this, under a second SDA announced in June last year, Hilton Hotels Corporation expects to develop 25 new properties with the Kosifler Group, and has already signed deals for a further four Hilton Garden Inn hotels.

About Hilton Hotels & Resorts

With more than 500 hotels & resorts in 77 countries around the world, Hilton continues to build on its history as a pioneer in the industry, developing products, services and amenities that offer today’s travellers more choice and control over their stays. From Hilton Fitness by Precor™ to its world-class Hilton Worldwide Resorts portfolio; from the Serenity Collection of in-room amenities to Hilton Meetings, a premier global product for small meetings, Hilton’s offerings are designed to enable guests to be at their personal best whether they travel for business or pleasure. Hilton’s belief that Travel Should Take You Places® celebrates a commitment to the idea that travel can and should be transformative. Start your journey at www.hilton.com available in English, Spanish and French.

About Hampton by Hilton

Hampton by Hilton –a new kind of economy hotel – is an economy hotel brand with an upper mid-scale finish, offering quality facilities, a focus on service and a unique guest experience. Founded in 1984, the Hampton brand now has over 1,600 properties in five countries. Hampton by Hilton offers the amenities that guests truly want and need, all included in the price of the room: the 100% satisfaction guarantee, an expanded complimentary On the House® hot breakfast, a morning newspaper, high-speed Internet access, fitness facilities and evening beverages. Consistency is maintained via strict adherence to quality standards, but still allows for local flavour and flexibility. .

About Hilton Hotels Corporation

Hilton Hotels Corporation is the leading global hospitality company, with more than 3,300 hotels and 550,000 rooms in 77 countries, with more than 135,000 team members worldwide. The company owns, manages or franchises some of the best known and highly regarded hotel brands including Hilton®, Conrad® Hotels & Resorts, Doubletree®, Embassy Suites Hotels®, Hampton Inn®, Hampton Inn & Suites®, Hilton Garden Inn®, Hilton Grand Vacations™, Homewood Suites by Hilton®, the Waldorf Astoria™ and the Waldorf Astoria Collection™, as well as the recently launched Home2 Suites by Hilton™. The company also manages the world-class guest reward program Hilton HHonors®.

The Hilton Family of Hotels adheres to founder Conrad Hilton’s philosophy that, “It has been, and continues to be, our responsibility to fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality.” The company put a name to its unique brand of service that has made it the best known and most highly regarded hotel company: be hospitable®. The philosophy is shared by all brands in the Hilton Family of Hotels, and is the inspiration for its overarching message of kindness and generosity.

For more information about the company, please visit .

About Durmazlar Makina Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S.

Founded in 1956, Durmazlar is one of the world’s largest sheet metal machine manufacturers. Recognised as a pioneer in its field, the company is at the forefront of manufacturing technology, employing over 1,000 employees and exporting to over 80 countries. For more information visit .

Nicola McShane
Director of Communications Europe
+44 (0)207 856 8077
Hilton