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AmeriSuites and Mastercard Survey Shows Family Matters Most to Road Warriors
Survey Reveals Most Travelers Would Spend Gift Cards on Their Families

When business travelers are not on the road, most want to spend time with their spouse or family. AmeriSuites and MasterCard International released a survey today, conducted by Find SVP, stating that if given a $20 MasterCard gift card for staying in a hotel, 60% of respondents would spend that money on their families or spouses while 33% would spend the gift card on themselves.

The survey results coincide with a promotion from AmeriSuites, a Global Hyatt affiliate, and MasterCard International that awards a $20 MasterCard gift card to any guest who pays with his or her MasterCard card and stays a minimum of two nights at an AmeriSuites from now until June 15, 2006.

When respondents were given choices and asked how they would spend a $20 MasterCard gift card on their families, an overwhelming majority responded with activities that would create family time together. Based on the choices available to respondents, 55% said they would use the gift card on a family DVD and 16% said they would use the gift card on entrance to a children’s museum.

Along the same lines, when given choices and asked how they would spend a gift card for their spouse or significant other, most responded with a night out at the movies (46%), two-six oz. filet mignon steaks (31%) or a bottle of wine (11%), all purchases that would lead to more time together.

“It is great to partner with MasterCard to give something back to our customers,” said Amy Weyman, vice president of marketing for Hyatt Hotels Corporation. “There is no doubt that being away from family while on business travel is challenging. Providing a gift card for our guests to use wherever MasterCard is accepted is a wonderful way for business travelers to put more funds towards family fun and excitement.”

According to a survey conducted by Deloitte & Touche in 2005, more than 38 million business travelers have generated 210 million trips in recent years, producing $153 billion in domestic traveler spending. The AmeriSuites and MasterCard survey conducted by Find SVP showed that 33% of respondents have spent more than five days on business trips in the past year.

“Through this promotion, MasterCard aims to deliver on the things that matter most to our cardholders,” said Julie Blacklock, vice president, Global Travel & Entertainment, MasterCard International. “By offering busy travelers a gift card that can be used for a family movie night with a new DVD, or toward dinner for two, MasterCard hopes to help fuel family time together for AmeriSuites’ guests once they are home.”

Other notable findings from the survey include:

  • Only 38% of respondents said they would spend the gift card right away; most preferred to save it.
  • 68% of males said they would spend the gift card on their spouse or significant other while 63% of females said they would spend the gift card on their families.
  • Of the 33% who said they would spend the gift card on themselves, 72% were unmarried and 75% had no children under the age of 18 in the household.
  • Of those who would spend the gift card on themselves, 67% would use the gift card on gas.

1,020 people participated in the survey (502 male respondents, 518 female respondents). Ages ranged from 18 to 65-plus.

NOTE: AmeriSuites guests must request rate code QMC and pay with their MasterCard card to receive the $20 gift card. A minimum two-night stay is required. Reservations can be made online at amerisuites.com/QMC or by calling 1-888-597-4273.

About AmeriSuites

AmeriSuites offers spacious guestrooms with upscale amenities. Guests can enjoy a complimentary hot breakfast, free high-speed Internet access, in-room microwave and refrigerator, fitness center and pool at over 140 United States locations. AmeriSuites has partnered with Hyatt Gold Passport, Hyatt's global frequent guest program, to provide members with additional opportunities to earn and redeem free nights. With Hyatt Gold Passport, members can earn free nights with no blackout dates to enjoy at over 470 locations worldwide.

Select Hotels Group L.L.C., which owns, operates and franchises AmeriSuites, is a subsidiary of Global Hyatt Corporation. In ongoing renovation projects throughout the U.S., AmeriSuites locations are being converted to Hyatt Place hotels, designed to be state-of-the-art select service properties. Hyatt Place’s segment leading product and design concepts are all also being implemented in new-build locations in the U.S.

About Global Hyatt

There are 216 Hyatt branded hotels and resorts (over 90,000 rooms) in 44 countries around the world, operating under the Hyatt®, Hyatt Regency®, Grand Hyatt® and Park Hyatt® brands. Currently, there are an additional 30 Hyatt hotels and resorts under development, including 11 new hotels in China. Hyatt Corporation (domestic U.S., Canada and Caribbean hotels) and Hyatt International Corporation (international properties) are subsidiaries of Chicago-based Global Hyatt Corporation. Global Hyatt Corporation is also the owner of Hyatt Vacation Ownership, Inc. operators of the Hyatt Vacation Club (timeshare and fractional residential products), Hyatt Equities, L.L.C. (hotel ownership), Select Hotel Group LLC (which owns, operates and franchises AmeriSuites hotels, Hyatt Place, and Summerfield Suites hotels) and U.S. Franchise Systems, Inc. (which franchises Hawthorn Suites, and Microtel Inns and Suites).

From the U.S. and Canada, reservations for any Hyatt hotel worldwide may be obtained by calling 1-800-233-1234 or logging onto www.hyatt.com.

About MasterCard International

MasterCard International is a leading global payments solutions company that provides a broad variety of innovative services in support of our global members' credit, deposit access, electronic cash, business-to-business and related payment programs. MasterCard manages a family of well-known, widely accepted payment card brands including MasterCard®, Maestro® and Cirrus® and serves financial institutions, consumers and businesses in over 210 countries and territories. The MasterCard award-winning Priceless® advertising campaign is now seen in 105 countries and in 48 languages, giving the MasterCard brand a truly global reach and scope. For more information go to www.mastercardinternational.com.

For further information:

Jamie Izaks Hyatt Hotels
312-780-5701
jamie.izaks@corphq.hyatt.com

Tristan Jordan
Corporation MasterCard International
914-249-5724
Tristan_jordan@mastercard.com

Bryan Kirsch
Alan Taylor Communications
212-714-1280
bryank@alantaylor.comAmerisuites