Marriott announces pre-paid travel card

Called the Marriott Travel Card, the new scheme will enable traveler to pre-pay their hotel stays before leaving home for all of the company's lodging brands except Ritz-Carlton and Ramada International.

"We're excited about our new card and to be the first travel company to offer this safe and flexible pre-payment solution," said Samir Daqqaq addressing media at a press lunch at the JW Marriott Dubai.

"We see the card as the perfect travel solution. It enables consumers to pay for their Marriott stay before they leave home, whether they're traveling on business or pleasure. It's a win-win for our customers, travel agents and our hotels," Mr. Daqqaq added.

Mr. Daqqaq said that the Marriott Travel Card is currently available through the company's Global Sales Offices in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

Milestone 500,000 rooms
At the same press conference, held ahead of this year's Arabian Travel Market, Ed Fuller, President and Managing Director of International Lodging, Marriott International, announced that the company's global lodging portfolio will reach its 500,000-room milestone this summer.

"This growth is remarkable in the face of the enormous challenges our industry has faced over the past three years. At some point in the next month, we will reach our 500,000-room milestone and with 50,000 rooms in our development pipeline or under construction, we expect to add another 175 hotels this year."

In the Middle East, Marriott recently introduced its mid-priced Courtyard brand with the 306-room Courtyard by Marriott Kuwait City. A second Courtyard property will open later this year in Dubai. The 164-room Courtyard by Marriott Green Community Dubai is scheduled to open in October.

"With a portfolio of 25 luxury and upscale resorts in the Middle East, we are now expanding our lodging product in the region by introducing our Courtyard brand, thus giving travelers more options of where to stay. This pattern supports our development strategy of establishing a strong presence in major cities and recognized resort destination and then following up with our mid-tier lodging brand," added Mr. Fuller.

The JW Marriott Dubai has been chosen as the official host hotel for Arabian Travel Market this year. Up to 70 hosted MICE buyers will be accommodated at the hotel during the exhibition in May.

Located in the heart of cosmopolitan Dubai, adjacent to the Hamarain commercial and shopping complex, the JW Marriott Dubai offers 344 luxuriously appointed rooms, 39 spacious suites and four Royal Suites with private swimming pools.

The JW Marriott Dubai has 31,000 square feet of flexible meeting and conference space. Two magnificent, column-free ballrooms provide elegant banquet space or break down for smaller functions, while eleven additional conference rooms can cater for small to mid-size functions.

The hotel also offers a wide variety of food and beverage options, including the award-winning JW's Steakhouse; Italian restaurant, Cucina and Polynesian outlet, Bamboo Lagoon. Traditional Lebanese cuisine is available in Mays El Reem, while Shisha can be enjoyed under the stars at Awafi rooftop café. For international tastes, Market Place offers breakfast, lunch and dinner buffets, and typical Bavarian cooking can be sampled at the hotel's original Hofbrauhaus. Leisure facilities include a rooftop swimming pool, fully equipped health club, two squash courts and a sauna.