Dubai: Marriott International’s hotels in the Middle East and Africa (MEA), excluding Egypt, posted a 4.2 per cent increase in occupancy during the first quarter of the year compared to the same period in 2013, the hotel company said in a statement on Wednesday.
The growth in occupancy was boosted by strong performing markets, such as Qatar, which recorded a rise in occupancy rates from nine per cent to 70 per cent in January, the US hotel chain said in the statement.
“A combination of increased travel across the region and new hotel openings has led to a positive start to the year for Marriott International. As we forge ahead our aim is to make sure we continue to provide the right hotels, in the right location, to meet the demands of both the business and leisure traveller,” stated Alex Kyriakidis, Marriott’s regional president and managing director.
Revenue per available room (RevPAR — a benchmark for performance) for the company’s hotels in the region (excluding Egypt) was up 2.8 per cent year-on year.
The company did not provide the actual occupancy and revenue figures.
However, in Egypt, Marriott posted a drop in revenue due to a decline in overall first quarter revenue of 0.6 per cent. “Egypt, with seven hotels for us, continues to be a challenging market but we are hopeful that the recent elections will bring stability and ultimately safer travel and increased tourism,” Kyriakidis said.
Globally, Marriott’s net income amounted to $172 million in the first quarter of the year, up 26 per cent over the same period in 2013. Revenue stood at $3.3 billion in the first quarter of the year compared to a revenue of over $3.1 billion for the corresponding period last year.
Last month, Marriott acquired South Africa-based Protea Hospitality Group for $200 million.
The company’s current MEA pipeline includes 161 properties across 18 countries.
