As Hilton heads toward a milestone 100th anniversary in 2019, new research unveils the impact the first global hotel company has had around the world, including in Asia Pacific, where it is now one of the fastest-growing global hospitality companies.
In a new book titled The Hilton Effect, Stanford Business professor and best-selling author Chip Heath presents a closer examination of the company founded by Conrad Hilton, a dreamer who aspired to accomplish much more than to create a comfortable place to sleep. To mark the book’s launch, a series of films have been developed telling the stories of the Hilton Effect across Asia Pacific and beyond.
Hilton opened its first property in Asia Pacific, Tokyo Hilton, in 1963, and has since expanded to more than 750 hotels open and under development, opening more than one hotel a week. In fact, nearly one in four hotel rooms currently under construction in the region, and one in three rooms under construction in China, carries a Hilton flag.
“We believe the world is a better place because Hilton was born into it one hundred years ago,” said Alan Watts, President, Asia Pacific, Hilton. “Over the course of our 55-year history in Asia Pacific, we’ve witnessed the incredibly positive impact travel and tourism can have. Today, as the center of gravity in travel continues to shift to this part of the world, we aim to continue our pioneering spirit and be a beacon for hospitality.”
Amid such rapid growth, The Hilton Effect, as Heath defines it, is the positive, world-altering impact that Hilton has had, and continues to have, on billions of lives and thousands of communities around the globe – entering new travel markets and bringing people and cultures together to make the world feel smaller, while expanding horizons and opportunities.
“Most organizations celebrating their 100th birthday would be content to throw themselves a party, but Hilton opted to hire a pair of skeptical outsiders – business authors with backgrounds in social science – to examine its impact on the world,” Heath said. “The stories that emerged were even more remarkable than we initially suspected and what Hilton employees considered to be just another day at work was quite extraordinary.”
Hilton Effect: By the Numbers
Total Guests Served : 3 Billion
Total Team Members Employed : 10 Million
Total Economic Impact : $1 Trillion
Hilton in Asia Pacific
Total Guests Served Annually :14.9 Million
Total Number of Team Members : 52,481
Contribution to Local Community from Hilton Honors Members : $3.4 Billion
