ATLANTA (August 22, 2001) - Holiday Inn Express captured a 2001 Odyssey Award, in the category of Travel Advertising, for its Stay Smart television advertising campaign. Awarded by the Travel Industry Association of America (TIA), the Odyssey Awards recognize excellence and exceptional achievements in travel and tourism.  "We are honored to receive the 2001 Odyssey Award," said Verchele Wiggins, director of marketing for

TIA's Odyssey Awards annually recognize the exceptional achievements of its members who have successfully journeyed to a higher level of excellence and accomplishments.

The Odyssey Awards honor the year's achievements in travel and tourism. In order to be considered for the Odyssey Award, TIA members submit program entries in categories that range from cultural heritage promotion to tourism awareness, advertising, the environment, and training.  

The Stay Smart campaign, created by Fallon Minneapolis, was designed to build awareness of the Holiday Inn Express brand in the limited service segment of the hotel industry. To date, the campaign has completed nine executions, all of which show ordinary people in situations that allow them to exhibit newly enhanced intelligence, skill, or artistic ability after having stayed at the hotel. The most recent addition to the Stay Smart campaign was introduced in May.  The new commercial spotlights a KISS concert with a surprise twist-the musicians have been replaced by Holiday Inn Express guests who impersonate the real stars.

Since the inception of the campaign in 1998, the brand has generated a 20% increase in revenue per room and the brand awareness has increased nearly 40 percent. The success of this campaign has also fueled the brand's continued rapid growth-more than 100 hotels were opened in 2000.  Holiday Inn Express is the modern hotel for value-oriented travelers.  

Six ContinentsSM Hotels, the hotel business of Six Continents PLC of the United Kingdom Hotels  [LON:SXC, NYSE:SXC (ADRs)], owns, operates or franchises more than 3,200 hotels and 510,000 guest rooms in nearly 100 countries and territories.