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CNN Live At Daybreak
Hilton Guarantees Room Rates Won't be Undersold
Aired December 03, 2003 - 06:14 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Time for a little 'Business Buzz' right now. You don't have to search online for the best hotel rates anymore. No.
Carrie Lee is back. She reports live from the Nasdaq market site.
Welcome back -- Carrie.
CARRIE LEE, CNN FINANCIAL NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Thank you very much, Carol.
Well hotel rates have been climbing a little bit in recent weeks, and Hilton is now the latest chain to take a stand against some Internet travel sites guaranteeing its own room rates will not be undersold.
Now customers who book directly by phone or online with any Hilton property and if they find a cheaper price elsewhere for the same room will receive a $50 American Express gift check for personal use. Nice, in time for the holidays now. Hilton will also match that rate.
Now this guarantee resembles those already announced by chains like InterContinental, Starwood, Marriott and Choice Hotels. "USA Today" reporting this. There are some restrictions. Hilton says the only external site it's going to use is Expedia.com. This deal doesn't apply to sites such as Priceline.com.
The bottom line here, experts say hotel chains best price guarantees are a response posed by the threat of consolidators and e- travel agents. So they are trying to keep as much business in the hotel as they can. And timing is rather good for customers, Carol, since prices have been climbing up a little bit from recent lows.
COSTELLO: That's good to hear.
Quick look at the futures.
LEE: Things look pretty positive this morning. Looks like we could see a bullish start to the open. Of course stocks did sell off ever so slightly yesterday. The Dow, the Nasdaq, the S&P 500 all losing a little bit of ground.
Sports Authority, one stock to watch today, lost a little grounds last night after reporting a loss for the recent quarter versus a profit a year ago due to some prices -- some cost associated with the merger with Gart Sports -- Carol.
COSTELLO: All right. Carrie Lee live from the Nasdaq market site.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired December 3, 2003 - 06:14 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Time for a little 'Business Buzz' right now. You don't have to search online for the best hotel rates anymore. No.
Carrie Lee is back. She reports live from the Nasdaq market site.
Welcome back -- Carrie.
CARRIE LEE, CNN FINANCIAL NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Thank you very much, Carol.
Well hotel rates have been climbing a little bit in recent weeks, and Hilton is now the latest chain to take a stand against some Internet travel sites guaranteeing its own room rates will not be undersold.
Now customers who book directly by phone or online with any Hilton property and if they find a cheaper price elsewhere for the same room will receive a $50 American Express gift check for personal use. Nice, in time for the holidays now. Hilton will also match that rate.
Now this guarantee resembles those already announced by chains like InterContinental, Starwood, Marriott and Choice Hotels. "USA Today" reporting this. There are some restrictions. Hilton says the only external site it's going to use is Expedia.com. This deal doesn't apply to sites such as Priceline.com.
The bottom line here, experts say hotel chains best price guarantees are a response posed by the threat of consolidators and e- travel agents. So they are trying to keep as much business in the hotel as they can. And timing is rather good for customers, Carol, since prices have been climbing up a little bit from recent lows.
COSTELLO: That's good to hear.
Quick look at the futures.
LEE: Things look pretty positive this morning. Looks like we could see a bullish start to the open. Of course stocks did sell off ever so slightly yesterday. The Dow, the Nasdaq, the S&P 500 all losing a little bit of ground.
Sports Authority, one stock to watch today, lost a little grounds last night after reporting a loss for the recent quarter versus a profit a year ago due to some prices -- some cost associated with the merger with Gart Sports -- Carol.
COSTELLO: All right. Carrie Lee live from the Nasdaq market site.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
