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Hilton Worldwide

hlt · NYSE Consumer Cyclical
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Ticker hlt
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Sector Consumer Cyclical
Industry Travel Lodging
Employees 10,000+
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FY2020 Annual Report · Hilton Worldwide
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Strength Matters

Where It

2020
Annual
Report

Strength

Where It

Matters

In a resilient business model 

Our strong balance sheet and quick, 
decisive actions ensured our ability  
to navigate the challenges of 2020

Behind every door sealed  
with Hilton CleanStay 

Unique innovations driven by an enhanced 
focus on safety and hygiene for evolving 
traveler needs brought peace of mind  
to our guests

Within one of the world’s  
best places to work

Our purpose-led culture prioritized the 
safety and well-being of our Team Members

In communities around  
the world

Through corporate partnerships 
and grants from the Hilton Effect 
Foundation, we supported our Hilton 
family and friends around the globe 

Canopy by Hilton  
Jersey City Arts District,  
New Jersey

2

Hilton 2020 Annual Report 
As I reflect on what has 
been a challenging period, I 
remain genuinely optimistic 
about what the future holds 
– and am proud of how we’ve 
responded to the crisis and 
served all our stakeholders.”

Watch Video Message

Chris Nassetta 
President & CEO

We Are HILTON We Are HOSPITALITY
Our Vision

Our Values

To fill the earth with the light and 
warmth of hospitality – by delivering 
exceptional experiences – every hotel, 
every guest, every time.

Hospitality 
We are passionate about delivering exceptional  
guest experiences.

Our Mission

To be the most hospitable company in the 
world – by creating heartfelt experiences 
for guests, meaningful opportunities for 
Team Members, high value for owners and 
positive impact in our communities.

Integrity 
We do the right thing, all the time.

Leadership 
We are leaders in our industry and in our communities.

Teamwork
We are team players in everything we do.

Ownership 
We are the owners of our actions and decisions.

Now 
We operate with a sense of urgency and discipline.

3

Hilton 2020 Annual Report

Innovation

Strength

Where It

Matters

Innovation is in our DNA

In 2020, the COVID-19 global 

pandemic shined a light on many of 

our industry-first innovations which 

had already been launched across 

the portfolio, and allowed us to act 

quickly to meet the evolving travel 

needs of our guests.

Hampton By Hilton Manchester Northern Quarter,  England

4

Hilton 2020 Annual ReportInnovation

Introducing

Tempo by Hilton

In early 2020, we launched our 

18th brand, Tempo by Hilton, an 

approachable lifestyle brand curated 

to serve a growing segment of 

“modern achievers” who seek a 

hotel experience that reflects their 

ambition. With several hotels currently 

in development, Tempo by Hilton 

hotels will inspire guests with mindful 

in-room experiences, shared spaces 

that encourage conversation and 

hearty and healthy dining options. 

Peace of Mind

with Hilton CleanStay

A Safe Gathering

Through Hilton EventReady

Today’s consumers have heightened expectations 

To address safe group travel practices 

regarding hygiene during travel. To address 

and evolve the event experience, 

changing needs and provide our guests with 

Hilton launched an extension of 

peace of mind, we introduced Hilton CleanStay 

Hilton CleanStay specifically focused 

in partnership with RB, the makers of Lysol and 

on global meetings and events, Hilton 

Dettol, building upon our already high standards 

EventReady with CleanStay. This 

to deliver new protocols for cleanliness and 

customer service program offers 

disinfection in Hilton properties. Experts from 

cleanliness protocols, book-to-bill 

Mayo Clinic’s Infection Prevention and Control 

flexibility, and safe and socially 

team advised on enhancements to our processes 

responsible solutions to host 

and Team Member training. 

meetings and events. 

5

Hilton 2020 Annual ReportInnovation

A Contactless Experience

Fueled by Hilton Hospitality

In 2015, Hilton introduced Digital Key, an industry-first innovation that 
gives guests the option to bypass the hotel check-in counter by digitally 
selecting and accessing their room via the Hilton Honors app on  
their smartphones. Since then, guests have used Digital Key to open 
approximately 112 million doors at more than 5,100 Hilton properties. 

Our Connected Rooms, which allow Hilton guests to control and 
personalize their stay from their smartphone, including television 
programming, lighting, temperature and more, have expanded this  
year to approximately 26,000 rooms across 210 properties. 

When a Day  

Will Do

The past year has radically shifted where and how the 
world works. WorkSpaces by Hilton offers a clean, flexible 
and distraction-free environment for productive remote 
working. Private day-use rooms include a spacious 
desk, ergonomic chair, enhanced WiFi and a selection 
of amenities which vary by hotel. First launched in  
the United States, United Kingdom and Canada, 
WorkSpaces by Hilton will continue to expand  
across our other regions.

Honoring

Our Most  
Loyal Guests
During a time when many of our guests were unable 
to travel, Hilton remained committed to providing 
maximum flexibility to our more than 112 million Hilton 
Honors members who accounted for approximately 
60% of system-wide occupancy at year end.  

We implemented several enhancements over the 
course of the year, including:

•  Automatically extending Members’ Points 

expiration dates and status tiers 

•  Rolling over all nights earned in 2020 to count 
toward Members’ 2022-23 tier qualification 

•  Lowering the 2021 qualification thresholds for each 

status tier and milestone bonus nights

•  Extending benefits for our Hilton Honors American 

Express card Members

6

Hilton 2020 Annual Report 
Value

Strength

Where It

Matters

in a Resilient, Fee-Based 
Business Model

As our industry faced the most 
challenging year in its history, 
Hilton’s global footprint and 
perspective gave us an early look 
into COVID-19’s impact on our 
business. This insight allowed us 
to act quickly to ensure we were 
equipped to navigate the crisis. 
With a resilient business model, 
a strong balance sheet, a robust 
development pipeline and valued 
partners who take a long view of our 
industry, Hilton emerged from 2020 
well-positioned for recovery with 
96% of system-wide hotels open. 

Embassy Suites by Hilton St. Augustine Beach Oceanfront Resort, Florida

7

Hilton 2020 Annual ReportWe expect Hilton to emerge 
from the challenges of the 
past year as a stronger, more 
resilient business that is even 
better positioned to deliver 
value in the years ahead.”

Kevin J. Jacobs 
Chief Financial Officer &  
President, Global Development

Watch Video Message

Value

Committed to Our  
Strategic Priorities
In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, Hilton 
leadership re-prioritized its strategy to protect our 
people and our business, while pursuing strategic 
opportunities throughout the year. Through it all, 
we continued to lean on our four key strategic 
priorities – Lead with Our Culture, Win with Our 
Customers, Enhance Our Network Effect and 
Maximize Performance – but activated on them 
in different ways as we navigated the crisis and 
prepared for recovery.

The Drake, a Hilton Hotel, Chicago

8

Hilton 2020 Annual ReportValue

Global Growth 

Through the pandemic, we continued to see positive growth across the portfolio, with net units up 5.1%, 
and our pipeline increasing to 397,000 rooms. New additions to our portfolio will be ready to welcome  
our guests, who are more eager than ever to travel and to create new memories and experiences.

Highlights

The Americas

•  Partnered with Resorts World on developing  

a $4.3 billion integrated resort in Las Vegas, the 
largest multi-brand deal in company history and  
first U.S. city to house all of our luxury brands

•  Grew our presence in Argentina with the  

opening of the Hilton Garden Inn Neuquén 

•  Welcomed the conversion of the Waldorf  
Astoria Monarch Beach Resort & Club

Asia Pacific

•  Announced a significant new partnership with 

Country Garden, one of Asia’s largest developers, 
to develop over 1,000 Home2 Suites by Hilton 
hotels in mainland China

•  Surpassed 100,000 open rooms in APAC and 

opened our 300th hotel in China

•  Launched our first Tapestry Collection hotel  
in Asia Pacific, the Hotel Resonance Taipei 

Europe, Middle East and Africa

•  Opened the Hilton Garden Inn Faroe Islands, 
the first internationally branded hotel on  
the islands

•  Introduced Hampton by Hilton to Spain with 

the opening of Hampton by Hilton  
Alcobendas Madrid

•  Celebrated our return to Abu Dhabi with the 
opening of Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers

9

Hilton 2020 Annual ReportOpportunity

Strength

Where It

Matters

Inside One of the World’s 
Best Places to Work

Throughout 2020, Hilton’s Team 
Members remained on the front lines 
of the COVID-19 pandemic, spreading 
the light and warmth of hospitality 
to essential workers and guests all 
around the world – at a time when it 
couldn’t have been needed more. To 
support Team Members through this 
challenging year, Hilton offered many 
resources, implemented training 
and safety protocols, strengthened 
our commitment to diversity, equity 
and inclusion and advocated for 
COVID-19 relief. 

Conrad Punta de Mita, Mexico

10

Hilton 2020 Annual ReportOpportunity

Our Award-Winning 

Culture

•  #1 Best Company to Work for in the U.S. 2020

•  #3 World’s Best Workplace in 2020 

•  #1 Best Place to Work for Women in the U.S. 2020 

•  #2 Best Place to Work for Parents in the U.S. 2020 

•  Best Workplaces in Retail and Hospitality in Canada 

•  #2 on DiversityInc’s Top 50 Companies for Diversity 

•  Ethisphere’s 2020 World’s Most Ethical Companies 

•  100% Score on Human Rights Campaign Equality Index

Taking Care

of Our Team Members

Our Team Members were truly inspiring as 
they offered unwavering hospitality to our 
guests. At every turn, we leaned into our values 
and our award-winning culture to navigate an 
extraordinary environment. Some of the ways 
we did this included:

•  Activating our Team Member Assistance Fund 
to support those who were directly affected by 
COVID-19 or had a family member affected by 
the virus

•  Connecting furloughed and former Team 

Members to career opportunities through  
the Hilton Workforce Resource Center and  
a new Hilton Alumni Network portal

•  Extending Hilton Honors status to departing 

Team Members

•  Launching new recognition and 

communications programs — like Hospitality 
Heroes — to honor our Team Members, and 
keep them engaged and feeling supported

As a result of these and other actions, Hilton 
continued to be recognized as a top workplace, 
even during one of the most challenging years 
in our history.  

11

Hilton 2020 Annual ReportOpportunity

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

How We’re Transforming Our Workplaces

At Hilton, we have a long legacy of embracing diversity 
and inclusion. We were founded on the belief that 
travel could be a bridge to world peace – that through 
hospitality, we could bring people together to celebrate 
different cultures and backgrounds. In addition to the 
health and economic challenges brought about by the 
global pandemic, the past year has also served as an 
awakening to the realities of racial and societal injustice. 
As we have been doing for many years, we listened to 
our Team Members and guests and looked to this period 
as an opportunity to continue taking meaningful, long-
term action against systemic racism. 

We shared some of the many commitments we  
believe will help us continue to be a more inclusive 
workplace, including: 

•  Adopting measures that will ensure diverse leadership 

candidates, and further increase the diversity of Hilton’s 
Board of Directors

•  Driving continued progress and accountability toward 

our global representation goals

•  Expanding Unconscious Bias and Inclusive & Respectful 

Workforce training for all Team Members

•  Launching a Courageous Conversations series to 
encourage corporate Team Members and General 
Managers at our properties to have regular 
conversations about race

While we have been on this journey for many 
years, our work here is never done. We will 
continue to listen to our Team Members, 
guests and the communities we serve around 
the world and constantly revisit how we can 
advance our commitments.

Being Part of the 

Solution

Advocacy for Our Owners and Team Members

Hilton worked tirelessly to engage directly with governments around the 
world to shape COVID-19 relief legislation and advocate for targeted aid 
for the hotel industry. The work we have done has been in partnership with 
the travel and tourism industry; however, we have especially advocated 
for our Team Members and hotel owners who have been most heavily 
affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. In the U.S., we were able to secure 
access to the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection 
Program for our owners, allowing them to apply for forgivable loans  
on an individual property basis, which proved to be a lifeline for many  
of our hotels. Additionally, we secured employee retention tax credits 
and enhanced unemployment benefits to help retain Team Members 
and support those who were affected. We will continue to advocate for 
additional liquidity for owners and support for Team Members as we 
work to help ensure a speedy recovery for the hotel industry.

Image taken before the COVID-19 pandemic.

12

Hilton 2020 Annual ReportImpact

Strength

Where It

Matters

Positive Social and 
Environmental Impact

As one of the world’s largest 

hospitality companies, Hilton 

recognizes the important role we 

play in protecting our communities 

and the planet for future generations. 

Despite the challenges presented 

by the COVID-19 pandemic, we 

remain fully committed to creating 

long-term value for our business 

and our stakeholders through  

our Environmental, Social and 

Governance (ESG) practices. We 

drive responsible travel and tourism 

globally through our Travel with 

Purpose strategy and Hilton Effect 

Foundation. We believe that as  

the world recovers, the need for 

environmental and social leadership 

will be greater than ever, and we are 

committed to making a difference. 

13

DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Alice Springs, Australia

Hilton 2020 Annual ReportImpact

Highlights

#1

Global Industry Leader 

on the Dow Jones Sustainability  

Indices for the past two years 

$1M+ 

Donated in support of COVID-19 

community response 

124,500

Team Members trained in  

anti-human trafficking 

1.6M+ 

Team Member volunteer  

hours since 2017 

Opening Our Kitchens and 
Reducing Food Waste  

As demand from restaurants and caterers 
dwindled during the pandemic, food rescue 
organizations were faced with a surplus of 
donated bulk food and increasing community 
needs, but limited storage and preparation 
capacity. To help solve this problem, five of 
our hotels in the U.K. partnered with Open 
Kitchens to store and distribute food to 
those in need. The Hilton London Metropole, 
Hilton’s largest hotel in the U.K., served as a 
community kitchen, and in 2020 the hotel’s 
chefs prepared over 30,000 meals for 
distribution to the homeless, children who 
rely on free school meals, the elderly and 
those living in isolation.

Love Beyond Walls, a 2020 Hilton Effect Foundation 
Grantee, works to increase access to clean water and  
soap for people experiencing homelessness.

HiltonEffect

Foundation Grantees

Launched in 2019 with the aim of creating a better 

world to travel, the Hilton Effect Foundation is 

our primary global philanthropic arm. In 2020, 

the Hilton Effect Foundation awarded 23 Hilton 

Effects Grants to organizations driving inclusive 

COVID-19 recovery and community resilience. 

The Hilton Effect Foundation’s grants aimed to 

address some of the most urgent humanitarian 

needs arising from the pandemic: food security, 

sanitation/hygiene, economic security and clean air 

and water. Consistent with Hilton’s commitment to 

respecting human rights, driving racial equality and 

promoting inclusive growth for all, the Foundation 

prioritized organizations addressing these needs, 

while also directly supporting minority populations 

and other vulnerable communities that have been 

disproportionately affected by the pandemic. 

Meet the 2020 Grantees

14

Hilton 2020 Annual ReportImpact

Highlights
Since 2008, we have reduced our impact*:

Carbon emissions

-56%

Energy consumption

-47%

Water usage

-47%

Landfilled waste 

-73%

* Improvement in these measures is partially 
attributable to the reduction in system-wide 
occupancy as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Helping Our Frontline 
Medical Heroes
In partnership with American 
Express and our ownership 
community, Hilton committed  
to donating up to 1 million hotel 
room nights across the U.S. to 
frontline medical professionals leading the fight against COVID-19. 
Rooms were made available to doctors, nurses, EMTs, paramedics 
and other frontline medical staff who needed a place to sleep, 
recharge or isolate. Additionally, through a $1 million contribution 
from American Express to José Andrés’ World Central Kitchen 
(WCK), we partnered to provide healthy, freshly prepared meals to 
the frontline healthcare professionals who stayed at participating 
Hilton properties in cities across the United States during the 
coronavirus pandemic.

Getting Supplies to Those in Need

When the pandemic hit, our hotels and corporate offices 
around the world worked to identify local organizations and 
communities in need, and quickly deployed their services. 
The Hilton Buenos Aires donated breakfasts to medical staff 
at a local hospital. Our hotels across Southeast Asia and India 
upcycled linens to make face masks through Diversey’s Linens 
for Life Face Masks Program. Corporate Team Members 
assembled more than 15,000 Clean the World hygiene kits 
for organizations in Memphis, Dallas and Washington, D.C. 
And members of our Hilton Reservation and Customer Care 
team used their customer service skills to connect with 
homebound seniors in partnership with Meals on Wheels. 

15

Reducing Our  
Environmental Footprint  

In 2020, we experienced a significant decrease 
in utility consumption across our global portfolio, 
primarily as a result of reduced occupancy and 
complete or partial suspension of operations 
at our properties. We worked with our hotel 
teams to deploy operational best practices that 
further reduced our environmental footprint in 
times of low occupancy. In alignment with our 
science-based targets, we also took several 
steps to increase our sourcing of renewable 
energy at our hotels around the world. We also 
maintained our portfolio-wide certification to 
ISO 9001 (Quality Management), ISO 14001 
(Environmental Management) and ISO 50001 
(Energy Management), one of the largest  
ISO-certified building portfolios in the world. 
As travel returns and our hotels re-open for 
business, we will continue to reduce our footprint 
in line with our Travel with Purpose 2030 Goals. 

Please visit our dedicated Travel with 
Purpose website for more information  
on our programs, including our Travel  
with Purpose 2030 Goals and our 2020 
ESG Report. To learn more about Hilton’s 
community grantmaking, visit our dedicated 
Hilton Effect Foundation website.

Hilton 2020 Annual ReportOur

Brands

16

Hilton 2020 Annual ReportTransfer Agent Contact
EQ Shareowner Services
P.O. Box 64874
St. Paul, Minnesota 55164-0874

+1 800 468 9716
www.shareowneronline.com

Annual Meeting  
of Stockholders
May 19, 2021
www.virtualshareholdermeeting.
com/HLT2021

ELIZABETH A. SMITH 
Former Chief Executive  
Officer, Bloomin’ Brands;  
Chair of the Atlanta  
Federal Reserve Board

DOUGLAS M. STEENLAND 
Former Chief Executive 
Officer, Northwest Airlines; 
Lead Independent Director, 
American International Group

Stockholder Information

Stock Market Information
Ticker Symbol: HLT
Market Listed and Traded: NYSE

Investor Relations Contact
7930 Jones Branch Drive
McLean, Virginia 22102

Corporate Office Contact
Hilton
7930 Jones Branch Drive
McLean, Virginia 22102

+1 703 883 1000
www.hilton.com/corporate

+1 703 883 5476
ir.hilton.com
ir@hilton.com

Independent Registered  
Public Accounting  
Firm Contact
Ernst & Young LLP
1775 Tysons Boulevard
Tysons, Virginia 22102

+1 703 747 1000
ey.com

Board of Directors

CHRISTOPHER J. NASSETTA 
President, Chief Executive 
Officer & Director, Hilton

MELANIE L. HEALEY 
Former Group President,  
The Procter & Gamble Company

JONATHAN D. GRAY 
Chairman of the Board of 
Directors, Hilton; President 
& Chief Operating Officer, 
Blackstone

CHARLENE T. BEGLEY 
Former Senior Vice President 
& Chief Information Officer, 
General Electric; Former 
President & Chief Executive 
Officer of Home and Business 
Solutions, General Electric

CHRIS CARR 
Chief Operating Officer, 
sweetgreen

RAYMOND E. MABUS, JR. 
United States Secretary of 
the Navy 2009-2017; Former 
Governor of Mississippi; 
Former U.S. Ambassador to the 
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

JUDITH A. MCHALE 
President & Chief Executive 
Officer, Cane Investments; 
Former President & Chief 
Executive Officer, Discovery 
Communications

JOHN G. SCHREIBER 
President of Centaur Capital 
Partners; Retired Partner &  
Co-Founder, Blackstone  
Real Estate Advisors

Click here for more information about Hilton's Leadership Team.

17

Hilton 2020 Annual Reportir.hilton.com