American Express and Jumeirah Group form 'rewarding' new partnership

Notes and media contacts

About American Express:
American Express Company is a diversified worldwide travel, financial and network Services Company founded in 1850. It is a world leader in charge and credit cards, Travellers Cheques, travel, financial planning, business services, insurance and international banking.

AMEX (Middle East) B.S.C. (c) - AEME established its presence in the Middle East in 1959 and set up its first office in Bahrain in 1979. In 1992, American Express became a joint venture company owned by Mawarid Investment Limited and American Express.

Operating in 18 markets in the Middle East and North Africa region, AEME issues dollar currency Credit and Charge Cards: Personal (Green), Gold, Platinum as well as Company and Corporate Cards. Since 2001, with the introduction of its first local currency Credit Card in the United Arab Emirates, AEME has been introducing a range of local currency Credit Cards across the region.
American Express Cards are accepted at millions of locations in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide.

About Jumeirah:
Jumeirah properties are regarded as among the most luxurious and innovative in the world and have won numerous international travel and tourism awards. The fast growing Dubai based luxury international hospitality management group encompasses the world renowned Burj Al Arab, the world's most luxurious hotel, the multi-award winning Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Jumeirah Emirates Towers, Madinat Jumeirah and Jumeirah Bab Al Shams Desert Resort & Spa in Dubai, the Jumeirah Carlton Tower and Jumeirah Lowndes Hotel in London and the Jumeirah Essex House on Central Park South in New York.

The group's activities are however, not restricted to hotel and resort management. The Jumeirah Group portfolio also includes Wild Wadi, regarded as one of the premier water parks outside of North America and The Emirates Academy, the region's only third level academic institution specializing in the hospitality and tourism sectors.

Building on this success, Jumeirah Group became a member of Dubai Holding in 2004, a collection of leading Dubai based businesses and projects, in a step that aims to initiate a new phase of growth and development for the group.

Jumeirah's ambitious expansion plans to grow its portfolio of luxury hotels and resorts worldwide to 57 by 2011 are well underway with projects currently under development in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Aqaba, Doha, Phuket, Shanghai, Bermuda, Mallorca and London.

For further information, contact:

Sudha Hemmad / Nicholas Nesson
ASDA'A Public Relations
Tel: +974 3344550

Ms. Graziela Martins
Corporate Communications & PR Manager
American Express Middle East

Jumeirah Group Corporate Communications
Anne Bleeker - Director of Public Relations & Communications
PO Box 73137 Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Telephone: +971 4 3155406
Fax: +971 4 3016655
Visit us at: www.jumeirah.com