CARLSON HOTELS WORLDWIDE – ASIA PACFIC EXPANDS LUXURY REGENT BRAND TO KUALA LUMPUR

CARLSON HOTELS WORLDWIDE – ASIA PACFIC EXPANDS

LUXURY REGENT BRAND TO KUALA LUMPUR

SINGAPORE – (25 April 2008) – Carlson Hotels Worldwide –Asia Pacific,
one of the world’s largest privately-owned hotel companies, will
continue the expansion of its luxury Regent brand into key gateway
cities across the region with the opening of The Regent Kuala Lumpur
in the third quarter of 2011.

The Regent Kuala Lumpur will be developed by City Properties and joins
a growing portfolio of Regent hotels and resorts worldwide, which
includes The Regent Beijing and The Regent Shanghai. The 250-room
hotel will also feature an additional 102 exclusive luxury apartments
which will be branded as ‘The Regent Residences, Kuala Lumpur’.

The Regent Kuala Lumpur, together with the The Regent Residences,
Kuala Lumpur, will occupy a prime city-centre location in the heart of
the city’s ‘Golden Triangle’, with breathtaking views of the iconic
Petronas Twin Towers and KLCC Park, just 200 metres walking distance
away.

“The development of The Regent Kuala Lumpur is an important part of
our strategy to establish the flagship brand in the Carlson Hotels
portfolio in every major gateway city across Asia”, said Martin Rinck,
president & managing director, Carlson Hotels Worldwide – Asia
Pacific. “We are continuing to evaluate prime locations for more
Regent hotels, as well as for our luxury Regent resorts, and we expect
to announce further developments in the near future”.

Bjorn Gullaksen, president of the Regent Luxury Group, which oversees
the Regent brand worldwide, noted that this new property in Kuala
Lumpur adds further momentum to the global expansion of Regent Hotels
& Resorts. “Offering an iconic heritage of luxury that was born in
Asia Pacific, we are pleased to be expanding Regent Hotels & Resorts
to key destinations around the world,” Gullaksen noted.

In addition to managing Regent hotels in Beijing and Shanghai, Carlson
Hotels Worldwide – Asia Pacific has five additional Regent hotels and
resorts under development, including The Regent Kuala Lumpur. The
Regent Maldives is scheduled to open in late 2008, while another three
Regent hotels and resorts will open in 2009: The Regent Bangkok and
The Regent Phuket Cape Panwa in Thailand, together with the The Regent
Manila Bay in the Philippines.

“This is a signature development that will deliver a unique city
experience, and is positioned as one of Kuala Lumpur’s most coveted
addresses for style and luxury,” said Dato’ Jeff Yap, the Executive
Director of City Properties, part of Duta Equities founded in 1976 by
Dato’ Yap Yong Seong. The group’s investments include listed
companies DutaLand and Olympia Industries as well as prime real estate
developer, KL Landmark, which pioneered the city’s first luxury
residences.

Carlson Hotels Worldwide is the world’s ninth largest hotel company
ranked by the number of properties worldwide. In Asia Pacific, it is
the largest international hotel group operating in India, and has more
than 9,000 hotel rooms under management in 11 countries across the
region.

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Singapore-based Carlson Hotels Worldwide – Asia Pacific is the
regional headquarters for Carlson Hotels Worldwide in the Asia-Pacific
region and is supported by reservations, sales and development offices
in Tokyo, Shanghai, New Delhi and Sydney. Carlson Hotels Worldwide,
based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, includes five hotel brands: Regent
Hotels & Resorts, one of the most respected brands in the luxury
segment of the hotel industry; Radisson Hotels & Resorts(R), one of
the world’s leading upscale, full-service hotel brands; Park Plaza(R)
Hotels & Resorts, positioned in the mid-scale segment of the
full-service hotel category and known for its great value and
customer-focused service culture; Country Inns & Suites By CarlsonSM,
one of the fastest growing, mid-scale hotel brands; and Park Inn(R), a
growing global brand offering a fresh and stylish guest experience.

Carlson Hotels Worldwide is one of the major operating groups of
Carlson, a global leader in the marketing, travel and hospitality
industries. Other names in the Carlson family of brands and services
are: T.G.I. Friday’s(R) restaurants, Regent Seven Seas Cruises(R),
Carlson Wagonlit Travel(R), and Carlson Marketing Worldwide(R), the
largest relationship marketing services company in the United States.

Regent(R) Hotels & Resorts is one of the most respected brands in the
luxury segment of the lodging industry, Regent Hotels & Resorts are
world-class landmarks of hospitality excellence offering international
luxury standards which reflect and celebrate each individual hotel’s
location. The iconic Regent brand is expanding to new hotel and
resort locations worldwide and is also an industry leader in the
luxury cruise market with Regent Seven Seas Cruises. At present,
Regent hotels and resorts are located in the United States, Europe and
Asia Pacific.

www.regenthotels.com