Tap Project Partners With Strategic Hotels for 2009 UNICEF Clean Wate...( Westin St. Francis Hotel Del Coronado...),Health

Westin St. Francis, Hotel Del Coronado, Washington Four Seasons and seven additional hotels join effort to raise funds for UNICEF

NEW YORK, March 10 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Luxury hotel owner, Strategic Hotels, today announced that it will become a 2009 national partner of the UNICEF-supported clean water campaign known as the Tap Project. Now in its third year, this award-winning, lifesaving initiative helps UNICEF provide clean water to children around the world.

Strategic will promote the Tap Project in all of its U.S. hotels inclusive of nearly 50 restaurants and five thousand hotel rooms. Strategic's properties include the venerable Westin St. Francis, Loews Santa Monica, Hotel Del Coronado, Scottsdale Fairmont Princess, Chicago Intercontinental and the Washington D.C. Four Seasons.

"Water has been a critical focus area of the hotel industry for many years, especially in those geographies hit hard by drought and water shortages," stated Laurence Geller, CEO of Strategic Hotels. "It's critical that our industry continue to take a leadership position on water issues and to aggressively promote the dire need for clean and safe drinking water in the developing world."

Based on a simple, tangible and turn-key concept, the Tap Project was given life two years ago on World Water Day (March 22). Limited to just New York City at the time, restaurants asked their patrons to donate $1 or more for the tap water they usually enjoy for free. With 300 restaurants participating in its inaugural year Tap raised $100,000 and helped to provide 4 million children in Laos, Iraq and Angola with access to clean drinking water. Also in its first year, the Tap Project was awarded the much coveted Titanium Lion at the International Advertising Festival in Cannes, France.

"Strategic's participation marks another important milestone for
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