Linz, Austria

Linz is the third largest city of Austria and capital of the state of Upper Austria. It is located in the north centre of Austria, approximately 30 km south of the Czech border, on both sides of the river Danube. The population of the city itself is 189,343 (2007), and 271,000 in the Greater Linz conurbation.

Cultural life in Linz is highly diverse, ranging from interactive art at the Ars Electronica Center to 19th- and 20th century fine arts in the Lentos Museum of Modern Art, music in the Brucknerhaus, home of the world-famous Bruckner Orchestra, drama in the Landestheater, contemporary art in the OK Offenes Kulturhaus Oberösterreich and exhibitions in the Oberösterreichische Landesmuseum. One of the summer highlights is the Pflasterspektakel that turns the entire city centre into a stage for street art. An annual fixture in early September is Ars Electronica, the world's most important media art festival. It's directly followed by the Brucknerfest and the Klangwolken in riverside Donaupark. Here, culture also means history: astronomer Johannes Kepler, composer Anton Bruckner and poet Adalbert Stifter lived in Linz, and Mozart's Linzer Symphony has immortalised the name of the town in which it was composed.

Linz also serves as an important transportation hub for the region of both Upper Austria and, to a lesser degree, southern Bohemia. The "Blue Danube" Linz Airport lies about 6.25 miles (10km) southwest of the town centre. Direct flights include Frankfurt, Düsseldorf and Vienna with additional seasonal routes added during the summer and winter months. Ryanair flies to London Stansted Airport.

The city lies on Austria's main rail axis, the so-called "Westbahn", linking Vienna with western Austria, Germany and Switzerland. There are also varying types of river transport on the Danube; from industrial barges to tourist cruise ships.

In 2009 Linz will be the capital of European Culture, along with Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania.

To hear more about Linz as one of the 2009 European capitals of culture, click here

Sigrid Pichler,
Manager Public Relations, Austrian Tourist Office - New York

Sigrid Pichler, Manager Public Relations of the Austrian Tourist Office - New York, has been living and working in New York for the past ten years and has enjoyed every minute of making the North American media and travelers acquainted with her beautiful home land. Before joining the Austrian Tourist Office in New York Sigrid was working in Public Relations at the Vienna Tourist Board in Vienna. During her time at the University of Vienna, Sigrid has also gathered first hand tourism experience by guiding American tours throughout Europe.

Peter Guttman,
Travel Journalist

Peter Guttman is a photograper, writer, author, television personality, and lecturer who has traveled on assignment through all seven continents covering more than 200 countries. He is the 2000 Lowell Thomas Travel Journalist of the Year, an honor awarded by the Society of American Travel Writers.

As an author, Peter has conceived and created a unique guidebook series for Fodors, the world's largest travel publisher. He also authored and photographed the critically acclaimed Nights to Imagine: Magical Places to Stay in America, the publisher's first hardcover now in its third printing, Adventures to Imagine: Thrilling Escapes in North America, winner of the 1998 Benjamin Franklin Award as Best Travel Guide, and Worlds to Imagine: Dream Journeys for Romantic Travelers. The lavishly illustrated hardcover, Escape to Northern New England, is a collection of his travel ideas in the region and was published by Fodors in 2002. Peter's fifth hardcover book, Christmas in America: A Photographic Celebration of the Holiday Season was published in 2007 by Skyhorse Publishing.

To read more about Peter and his work, visit his website at www.PeterGuttman.com

PRESS RELEASE

CORINTHIA HOTELS OFFER UNIQUE NEW YEAR'S EVE CELEBRATIONS
Mystery Night in Budapest and “Oscar Night” in St. Petersburg

(December 17, 2008, NEW YORK, NY) - Looking for something different to do over New Year's Eve? Consider the fun-filled evenings planned at the luxurious Corinthia Hotels in two beautiful and historic cities, Budapest and St. Petersburg, where guests can solve a mystery or walk the red carpet to an Academy Award-like gala and dance the night away.

New Year's Eve Mystery Package at Corinthia Grand Hotel Royal, Budapest, Hungary

In the ambience of the Orient Express, guests can become detectives and solve a mystery while dining, dancing and toasting in the New Year at the elegant Corinthia Grand Hotel Royal. Located in the center of this magnificent city, the Grand Hotel Royal combines an imposing façade and restored interior detailing with the luxuries of today: an opulent Spa, fine restaurants and shops and impeccable personal and business services.

Corinthia Grand Hotel Royal New Year's Eve Package

Available from December 28-January 5, 2009, starts at $932 for 2 persons for 2 nights in a Superior Double Room. It includes a welcome drink, New Year's Eve buffet dinner including mystery enactment and international foods and drinks. Also included is free WIFI access in rooms, and complementary entry to the opulent, historic and restored Royal Spa.

Corinthia Nevskij Palace Hotel "Red-Carpet Oscar" Night New Year's Eve

Guests will feel like movie stars as they walk the red carpet in gala New Year's celebrations held in an atmosphere of a grand movie awards night. The galas will take place within the warm ambience of the impressive Corinthia Nevskij Palace Hotel, located on the famous Nevsky Prospect, central to every neighborhood of St.Petersburg, and near the Heritage Museum, the Winter Palace, St. Isaacs Cathedral and all other major historical sites, as well as the bustling city's business district.

Corinthia Nevskij Palace Hotel New Year's Eve Package

Available from December 28-January 5, 2009. Package rates determined by minimum night stay, type of accommodation and amenities. Classic Room and celebration gala in the Admiralty Restaurant: 2 persons per night in a double room: $353 plus tax.

Deluxe Room and celebration gala in the Imperial Restaurant: 2 persons in a double room: $434 plus tax. Executive Suite and celebration gala in the Imperial Restaurant (also includes Dom Perignon Champagne, New Year's gift basket, personalized Christmas tree, festive breakfast in room): 2 persons for 1 night: $1, 619 plus tax.

Presidential Suite and celebration gala in Imperial Restaurant (also includes pick up in stretch limo with welcoming Champagne served in car, cosmetic gift by Chanel, bottle of Hennessy XO, personalized Christmas tree, festive breakfast in room):2 persons per night in double room: $4, 423 plus tax.

Demand for holiday packages at Corinthia hotels in Europe and the Mediterranean heightened last month when Shawn Pisani, Corinthia Hotels Director of Products & Services, announced the Malta-based chain's new "Festive Seasons Signatures," for the holidays. "This combination of visual, culinary and activity-filled holiday programs," explained Mr. Pisani, "was a natural progression for the Corinthia luxury brand. The festivities began with dazzling Christmas decorations and food, and now proceed to New Year's Eve excitement and entertainment. As always, we continue to offer our guests unparalleled color, fun and unique activities. Greeting 2009 with the Corinthia style of warm smiles, inspired flavors and pleasant surprises should bring memorable joy to all of our guests."

About Corinthia Hotels

Corinthia Hotels is an internationally acclaimed Brand of luxury hotels in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Libya, Malta, Portugal and Russia. Founded by the Pisani family of Malta in the 1960s, the Corinthia brand stands in that proud tradition of Mediterranean hospitality and its signature services communicate the ‘Warm smiles, Inspired Flavours and Pleasant Surprises' of its Maltese heritage. All Corinthia hotels feature state-of-the art conference areas, extensive leisure and business traveller facilities, and are each renowned for their uniqueness of character. Corinthia Hotels' portfolio includes two award-winning properties: The Corinthia Grand Hotel Royal In Budapest, Hungary - winner of Europe's ‘Best Hotel Architecture Award' and member of ‘The Most Famous Hotels in the World' and The Corinthia Hotel Prague in the Czech Republic - the first hotel ever to win Best Gastronomy Concept in the Czech Republic and a recipient of the ‘5 stars and 6 stripes' designation from renowned US reviewer Seven Stars and Stripes. The Corinthia Hotels portfolio also features the elegant Corinthia Palace Hotel and Spa and the splendid Corinthia Hotel St Georges Bay in Malta, The superior five-star Corinthia Bab Africa Hotel in Tripoli, Libya, the modern Corinthia Hotel Lisbon in Portugal and the renowned Corinthia Nevskij Palace Hotel in St Petersburg, Russia. The Corinthia Hotels brand is associated with the ‘Wyndham Grand Collection' tier of upscale hotels worldwide.

About CHI HOTELS & RESORTS

Based in Malta, CHI Hotels & Resorts is a leading hands-on hotel management company that provides the full range of technical assistance and management services to hotel owners worldwide. CHI is the exclusive operator and developer for the luxury Corinthia Hotels brand as well as the Wyndham and Ramada Plaza brands in Europe, Africa and The Middle East. CHI draws on a heritage of over 45 years in delivering high quality services to hotel guests and an optimum rate of return to owners and investors in diverse business environments. Our experience across our three brands extends to management of luxury and upscale properties in city and resort locations and products ranging from boutique to conference and Spa hotels. CHI also operates various restaurants under brands such as ‘Rickshaw' and has its own Spa division.

CHI Hotels & Resorts is a joint venture between International Hotel Investments plc (IHI) – 70% and The Wyndham Hotel Group (WHG) – 30%.

For more information on CHI Hotels and Resorts visit: www.corinthiahotels.com