The 170 Radisson SAS hotels in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) are changing their name to Radisson Blu. Rezidor, the brand's master franchiser, says the name change is the final break from SAS Group, Rezidor's former parent company. SAS sold the company in a public offering in November 2006. Rezidor CEO Kurt Ritter announced the new name last week at the grand opening of the Radisson Blu Hotel at Zurich Airport in Switzerland.

"The word 'blu' is a stylized, shortened version of the word 'blue,' derived from the blue colored box that contained the SAS name on the original Radisson SAS logo and signage," Rezidor says.

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