An impression of how the JW Marriott Casablanca will look when completed. An impression of how the JW Marriott Casablanca will look when completed.

Marriott International has chalked up record growth across the MEA region with 11 property signings in the past 12 months.

The growth is backed by a positive set of Q1 2013 results for the Middle East and Africa region, as reported by Hotelier 6 May 2013, showing an 11.2% increase in RevPAR figures across the region.

The JW Marriott Hotel Jeddah scheduled to open in 2016 represents the company’s eleventh signing in 12 months and comes hot on the heels of two recently signed JW Marriott Hotels, the JW Marriott Casablanca and JW Marriott Doha.

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The JW Marriott Hotel Jeddah is also the company’s eighth signed property in Saudi Arabia and highlights the company’s aggressive growth plans for the region.

The property will bring the total number of announced hotels joining Marriott International’s MEA portfolio by 2017 to 45, adding a total of 10,875 rooms to its system.

The signature Marriott Hotels and Resorts brand is developing even further in North Africa through its recently announced Rabat Marriott Hotel in Morocco and the Constantine Marriott Hotel, both opening in 2015.

Marriott International has confirmed that its focus for the coming months will be its expansion in the extended stay segment, with its Residence Inn and Marriott Executive Apartments (MEA) brands, which it says is a key area for growth due to the increasing number of mid-term visitors to the region for both business and leisure.

Residence Inn and Marriott Executive Apartments will be opening ten extended stay hotels, consisting of 1,062 rooms by 2017, with Residence Inn Jazan, Saudi Arabia and Marriott Executive Apartments Zabeel Dubai slated to open later this year.

Alex Kyriakidis, president and managing director, MEA said: “Marriott International opened its first hotel in the Middle East and Africa 33 years ago and has since invested heavily in the region and built on its heritage to become one of the biggest hotel operators. In terms of the long-term growth prospects for the company, we are bullish.”