Visa Inc. announced the launch of the Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection (VSLHC), a new premium travel offering enabling Visa Signature cardholders to find, book and enjoy unique benefits at a hand-selected group of prestigious properties throughout the world. Visa Signature cardholders now have around-the-clock access to research and book accommodations at luxury properties around the world - from celebrated hotels and resorts to new boutique gems - gathered together by invitation and appraised annually to ensure consistency with VSLHC standards. Benefits can be accessed through visasignaturehotels.com or Visa Signature Concierge service.

The Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection offers cardholders access to a host of perks, which may include the best available rate, a room upgrade, VIP guest status, complimentary valet parking or internet access, a food and beverage voucher, complimentary continental breakfast, and late checkout privileges.1

The new program was tailored to appeal to the most desired travel benefits. All perks offered by Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection ranked among the top ten important travel benefits in a 2009 survey of Visa Signature cardholders.2Complimentary room upgrades (53 percent) and free internet access (51 percent) were identified as the most important travel benefits among respondents.

The Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection is available to U.S.-issued Visa Signature cardholders and is the first offering in the new Visa Luxury Hotel Collection, a global travel benefit that will be introduced for premium Visa card programs in other regions around the world, creating Visa's first global premium travel benefit.

"Travel benefits consistently rank at the top of our Visa Signature cardholders' lists of preferred perks," said Stacey Pinkerd, Head of Global Consumer Products Strategy, Visa Inc. "The Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection enhances Visa Signature's ability to meet the lifestyles of today's affluent cardholder with access to the travel perks they value most. Whether planning a weekend getaway or a family vacation, Visa Signature cardholders can have confidence their accommodations will meet their expectations."

The Visa Luxury Hotel Collection is powered by Kiwi Collection, one of the most-selective collections of luxury properties. Hotels available through the new program range from exceptional foreign destinations, such as the Burj al Arab in Dubai and Amanpuri in Thailand to domestic luxury properties, including The Setai in Miami and The Pierre in New York.

For a limited time, Visa Signature cardholders who make a Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection booking and complete their stay will automatically receive a limited edition copy of Overnight Sensations - The Americas,3an elegant, hard-cover book profiling select destinations with detail-rich photography and narratives designed to inspire travelers' imaginations.