By the end of 2004, the Marriott International portfolio in the region will grow to 31 hotels, offering 8,978 rooms and spanning four lodging brands in 10 countries. This growth represents a 30 percent increase in hotels, and 22 percent increase in rooms and the addition of one country over the year 2000 and supports the company�s plans to open over 1,000 hotels and timesharing resorts and 175,000 gross room additions between 1999 and 2003.

�Our growth is being fueled by customer preference for our hotels and by owner and franchisee demand for our brands,� said Paul Malcom, regional vice president for sales and marketing for the company�s United Kingdom and Middle East region.

�We are very excited by our continued growth in the region,� he continued. �It has been 21 years since we opened our first hotel in the region, the 395-room Riyadh Marriott Hotel in Saudi Arabia, and our goal is to be represented in all major gateway cities, commercial centers and established resort destination in the region.�He said that the company is especially heartened to see its regional portfolio gain depth in several important markets such as United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt.

�We will introduce our first Marriott Executive Apartments lodging product in the Middle East, the 172-unit Dubai Marriott Executive Apartments, later this year. This hotel is aimed at business executives traveling on an overseas apartment of 30 days or more,� he explained.

In Egypt, where Marriott International already operates four hotels, he said that the company will open three more hotels this year. They are:

• A representative of the JW Marriott hotel brand, the 425-room JW Marriott Resort Mirage City, Cairo. This hotel brand caters to discerning, upscale travelers who value a high level of personal service and a luxurious environment that is both understated and tasteful.  
• The 310-room Taba Marriott Hotel & Beach Resort on the Red Sea.  
• The second Renaissance-branded hotel in the country, the 168-room Renaissance Golden View Hotel, Sharm el Sheikh.

• 178-room Renaissance Tunis Hotel in Tunisia.
• 216-room Jordan Valley Marriott Resort at the Dead Sea in Jordan.
• The 100-room Petra Hotel in Jordan will be rebranded to the Marriott flag, following an extensive renovation program.

• 150-room Madinah Marriott Hotel in Saudi Arabia, opening in 2002 
• 300-room Aqaba Marriott Hotel and Resort in Jordan, opening in 2004.

Additional hotels are under negotiation.