Hilton Hotels will add "by Hilton" branding to its properties in Canada and Latin America in the future - mainly being Doubletree, Embassy Suites® and Hampton® hotels opening .

The move also will retroactively affect many properties in those countries. The decision will not affect U.S. hotels.

"While all three brands are well known within the United States, the Hilton name -- one of the most recognized in the hospitality industry worldwide -- is far better known in Canada and Latin America, representing a supreme opportunity for Doubletree, Embassy Suites and Hampton to be better recognized in those areas by virtue of their Hilton affiliation," said Ernie Wooden, executive vice president - brand management, Hilton Hotels Corporation. "We have added 'by Hilton' to certain brands that are rapidly expanding into new markets abroad. This move comes on the heels of our recent merger with Hilton International and furthers our goal to become the premier global hotel franchise company."

The process will involve multiple steps. The most immediate and noticeable will involve changing the signage at most existing hotels, as well as selected graphics on collateral materials, in those countries. Secondary steps will occur at the sales and marketing level.

"We believe this will have reciprocal beneficial effects in the United States, as well," noted Wooden. "As travelers around the world become more familiar with the entire Hilton Family of Hotels, we believe they will more actively seek out our hotels when traveling from abroad to the U.S. When coupled with the incentive to visit Hilton Family hotels through the Hilton HHonors® program, the addition of 'by Hilton' to lesser-known brand names outside of the United States clearly adds value to all our properties."

The addition will affect one currently open Doubletree hotel, eight Embassy Suites hotels and 30 Hampton hotels, plus dozens of properties in the development pipeline within Canada and Latin America representing all three brands combined.

As they ramp up their Canadian and Latin American development, each of the brands said that feedback from developers has been quite favorable.

For Doubletree, the "by Hilton" change will immediately be implemented at its Montreal, Canada, property and will be added to its Costa Rica, Peru and Puerto Rico properties in the coming months. For Embassy Suites, the change will affect several hotels immediately, with others completed by 2009 in conjunction with a previously announced new signage refresh program throughout the entire brand. Hampton will complete its signage update by April 1, 2008.