WHITE PLAINS, NY - (July 1, 2000) Starwood® Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. announced today the introduction of its new Travel Agent Education Program (TAED). Designed to provide travel agents with an opportunity to visit and gain first-hand knowledge about Starwood properties worldwide, TAED offers special travel agent rates to the some of the world's most celebrated brands, including Sheraton® Hotels & Resorts, Four Points® by Sheraton® Hotels, St. Regis® Hotels & Resorts, The Luxury Collection®, Le Méridien®, W Hotels® and Westin® Hotels & Resorts.

TAED rates range from $39 to $79 (or equivalent in local currency) for Westin, Sheraton, Four Points and W Hotels, and starting from $139 for St. Regis and The Luxury Collection hotels. Offering special discounts on recognizable brands at different price points is just another example of how Starwood is supporting agents.

Reservations for the Travel Agent Education Program can be made via the GDS or through one of our Worldwide Reservations Offices.  

GDS Availability requests:
Use the Travel Industry Rate Qualifier in your availability request. Example formats listed below:  
Sabre   HOTNYC/01JAN-1NT1/RC-T/SW
Apollo/Galileo HOA01JAN-1NTNYC@FAM/SW
Worldspan   HLNYC/D01JAN02JAN1/P-I/CSW/A  
Amadeus   HASWNYC01JAN-1/SR-TVL  

Restrictions and Requirements:  

• Maximum 3 Night Stay.
• Reservations must be made at least one day in advance.
• Maximum one visit per year (per travel agent per hotel).
• Rates subject to availability.  
• At the time of check-in, travel agent identification is required (IATAN, ARC, IATA, CLIA or ICTA), or both a business card and a letter of introduction (on the travel agency's letterhead, identifying member credentials and signed by the agency manager) must be provided.

A welcome letter from the general manager of the hotel, as well as a self-guided tour of the property will be provided to each guest.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with more than 850 properties in over 95 countries, and 145,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. With internationally renowned brands, Starwood is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchiser of hotels and resorts including: Sheraton® Hotels & Resorts, Four Points® by Sheraton® Hotels, St. Regis® Hotels & Resorts, The Luxury Collection®, Le Méridien®, W Hotels® and Westin® Hotels & Resorts, as well as Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and operators of high-quality vacation interval ownership resorts.

For more information, please visit us at www.starwoodhotels.com.