Play Dress-up or Save the World with a Painting for Earth Hour, with Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group

Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group – one of first global hotel companies to develop strong Responsible Business credentials - will be supporting the environmental awareness campaign of Earth Hour, on 23rd March 2013, with 18 Radisson Blu and Park Inn by Radisson properties across the Middle East driving innovative ideas for staff and guests to work together in helping to save energy.

Highlights of the Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group’s staff ingenuity for Earth Hour include ‘I Will, If You Will’, at the Park Inn by Radisson, Muscat, which will challenge 100 guests to dress in green to a special cocktail reception at the Sama roof terrace, with 10 weekend breakfasts at the hotel up for grabs as prizes. In the UAE, the Dubai Marina Residences is asking youngsters between 5-12 years old to get creative and paint their idea of how best to protect Mother Earth, with rewards going to the top three planet-saving pictures.

Diners at hotel restaurants Mix and Fillini in the Radisson Blu Cairo, Egypt, will dine by candle-light and a raffle draw will see six winners take home an energy-saving light bulb as a memento of the day. An internal incentive at the Radisson Blu Al Madinah, Saudi Arabia, will encourage front desk staff to sign-up 50% of guests that check-in on 23rd March to take part in Earth Hour - if successful, two employees from the team will be chosen as ‘Employee of the Month’.

Inge Huijbrechts Vice President of Responsible Business at Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group commented, “As part of our on-going Responsible Business programme, we’re thrilled that our teams are working together as part of the global Earth Hour movement, to combat the wasteful use of the world’s precious energy sources, and to help bring the public’s attention to the cause, even further.” Other energy-saving ideas implemented by Radisson Blu and Park In by Radisson hotels in the region range from candle-lit spa services, to hotel façade black-outs, distributing leaflets and posters, and screening an Earth Hour video in reception areas and guest rooms.

Over 150 Carlson Rezidor hotels in EMEA will take part in this year’s Earth Hour, in line with the company’s energy-saving initiative Think Planet, a ambitious and pro-active programme that aims to reduce energy consumption by 25% by the year 2016 in all Rezidor hotels.

ENDS

About the Rezidor Hotel Group

The Rezidor Hotel Group is one of the fastest growing hotel companies worldwide and a member of the Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, one of the world’s ten largest hotel groups. Rezidor features a portfolio of more than 430 hotels in operation and under development with 95,000 rooms in 70 countries. Rezidor operates the brands Radisson Blu and Park Inn by Radisson in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, along with the Club Carlson loyalty programme for frequent hotel guests. Under a worldwide licence agreement with the iconic Italian fashion house Missoni, Rezidor also operates and develops the luxury lifestyle brand Hotel Missoni. Following a Strategic Alliance Agreement with Regent Hotels & Resorts, Rezidor will develop and operate new Regent properties in EMEA.

In November 2006, Rezidor was listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange. Carlson, a privately held, global hospitality and travel company, based in Minneapolis (USA), is the majority shareholder.

The Corporate office of The Rezidor Hotel Group is based in Brussels, Belgium. For more information, visit www.rezidor.com and www.carlsonrezidor.com