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Choice Hotels' News

Choice Hotels Lends Support to Recent Hurricane Victims
PRNewswire-FirstCall
SILVER SPRING, Md.

As the recovery efforts continue throughout areas of the Gulf Coast following the recent hurricanes, Choice Hotels International, Inc. remains focused on the safety and security of its franchised hotels' guests and staff.

Many Choice Hotels properties in the region are open and going above and beyond to accommodate the influx of guests at this difficult time. Hotels are encouraged to provide additional assistance to guests who have been displaced by the hurricanes.

Hotels that were affected by the hurricanes are working around the clock to restore full operations. As a service to our guests, Choice Hotels is providing detailed information on the operational status of our franchised hotels in the affected regions on a special Travel Alert Web site, www.choicehotelsinformation.com. To ensure that our guests and people living and working in these areas are aware of the assistance available to them, the site features up-to-date information on relevant federal and state programs.

One such program is the FEMA Emergency Lodging Assistance Program. Choice Hotels encourages anyone needing federal assistance to register with FEMA so they can receive support as services are made available. The emergency lodging assistance program has been activated for residents of designated disaster areas in Louisiana and Texas. Evacuees in need of federal assistance should apply through FEMA either online at www.fema.gov or by calling the FEMA toll free number at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362), TTY 1-800-462-7585.

Additionally, Texas Governor Rick Perry has signed proclamations suspending the collection of the state and local motel taxes under the Texas Tax Code for stays during the period commencing September 8 through October 14, 2008 to assist victims of Hurricane Ike. To be eligible, guests must complete a Request for Tax Exemption Certificate. Individuals who were guests in hotels in affected areas and had already checked out at the time of the Governor's announcement can still request a refund of the motel tax. For more information, visit http://travel.state.tx.us/hurricaneikeupdate.aspx.

  Regularly updated information is available on choicehotelsinformation.com.

  About Choice Hotels

Choice Hotels International franchises more than 5,700 hotels, representing more than 460,000 rooms, in the United States and 40 countries and territories. As of June 30, 2008, 992 hotels are under construction, awaiting conversion or approved for development in the United States, representing 80,292 rooms, and an additional 104 hotels, representing 8,824 rooms, are under construction, awaiting conversion or approved for development in more than 20 countries and territories. The company's Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Quality, Sleep Inn, Clarion, Cambria Suites, MainStay Suites, Suburban Extended Stay Hotel, Econo Lodge and Rodeway Inn brands serve guests worldwide.

Additional corporate information may be found on the Choice Hotels Web site, which may be accessed at www.choicehotels.com.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact: david_peikin@choicehotels.com

SOURCE: Choice Hotels International, Inc.

CONTACT: Heather Soule of Choice Hotels International, Inc.,
+1-301-628-4361, heather_soule@choicehotels.com

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The Radisson brands, including Park Plaza, Country Inn & Suites, and Park Inn by Radisson, are owned in the Americas regions by Choice Hotels.
Outside of the Americas, the brands are owned by Radisson Hotel Group, an unaffiliated company headquartered in Belgium.