Hilton UK & Ireland's Premier Class, a comprehensive training and development programme to produce 'home-grown' hotel operations and revenue managers, won a prestigious National Training Award - recognised as the UK's number one accolade in the area of training and learning - at a ceremony in Cambridge last week.

The Premier Class provides selected departmental managers throughout Hilton UK & Ireland with the necessary skills to aid business growth and attain promotion and has proved very successful, with 28 of the 64 candidates to complete the programme receiving high-level promotions. Staff satisfaction scores have increased and hotels report better customer service scores and reduced recruitment costs as a result.

The Premier Class is trained and developed in how to implement the nine Hilton Management Competencies to improve both candidate performance in their role and business performance at their hotel. To this end, the training is hotel and role specific, with each candidate creating a measurable action plan for each module.

Orla Farrell, Hilton's Learning and Development Manager, said: "The active input of delegates, coaches and managers ensures that the Premier Class programme keeps Hilton at the leading edge in hospitality training, providing tangible business benefits along with significant candidate career progression."

Ends

Notes to picture editor: �High resolution images of Hilton properties and key personnel are available for the media to download free of charge from www.vismedia-online.com

Notes to editor: �Hilton UK & Ireland currently operate 77 hotels with over 15,000 bedrooms and 15,000 staff throughout the country.

�Hilton International (HI), an operating division of the UK based Hilton Group plc, owns the rights to the Hilton brand name throughout the world, with the exception of the USA. HI operates 394 hotels, with some 253 branded Hilton, 47 of which under the Hilton Worldwide Resorts, plus 141 under the mid-market Scandic brand. Under a joint venture agreement, Hilton International and the North American based Hilton Hotels Corporation (HHC) share responsibility for the Conrad brand, which includes 17 hotels in 12 countries.

�Hilton International Grand Vacations Company presently operates 4 resorts in Scotland and Egypt, comprising 271 timeownership units.

�A global marketing alliance between Hilton International and Hilton Hotels Corporation extends the number of hotels operated by both companies worldwide to over 2,500 - over 500 of which are branded Hilton.

�Committed to doing business in a responsible way, Hilton International's aim is to bring a positive benefit to the societies in which it operates through high quality services, economic growth, environmental protection, community involvement and employment.

Further information about Hilton Group and its subsidiary companies is available online at www.hiltongroup.com

For further media information: �Hilton UK & Ireland Press Office press.office@hilton.com +44 (0) 20 7856 8471- tel +44 (0) 20 7856 8665 - fax +44 (0) 7966 894025 - pager (24hrs)