Marriott steps up sales operations in the Middle East

Marriott's Middle East sales office is expanding its operations in the region, said Samir Daqqaq, Vice President of Marriott Global Sales, Middle East, Africa and Subcontinent.

He was speaking while on a GCC tour which covers Riyadh, Jeddah, Al Khobar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Doha and is accompanied by a delegation of over 20 General Managers and Sales Directors from Marriott hotels around the world, including London, Paris, Austria, and the Middle East. 

"This annual trip helps us develop our strategic account relationships with our high value accounts, where our effort and focus is effectively used. The General Managers' Mission helps us to open new avenues and opportunities for each of the individual hotels, and for the regional sales office. 

"As Marriott, we have very clear sales goals and strategies, and we firmly believe in fostering relationships in each country and region. In the Middle East, we have embraced the local culture, and I believe this is behind our success."

He added that Marriott Global Sales was expanding in the region, and had recently opened new sales offices in India and North Africa, with offices also planned to open soon in East and West Africa. Marriott Global Sales has also opened a sales office in Baghdad to tap demand in Iraq.

He added that Marriott's lauded Hotel Excellence! programme for travel agents had grown by 200% over the first quarter of last year, reflecting the emphasis Marriott places on the role of travel agents.

"As our regional portfolio grows, we have a wide range of hotels to offer clients. In the last year, we opened two properties in Jordan, as well as the Madinah Marriott Hotel and the JW Marriott Mirage City Cairo. We also rebranded the JW Marriott Kuwait City."

"In addition to our development efforts, we are doing very well marketing our current products, through forming strategic partnerships, like Skywards with Emirates Airline, and encouraging repeat custom with our loyalty programme, Marriott Rewards."

Hotels represented on the mission include Beirut Marriott, Cairo Marriott, Doha Gulf Marriott, JW Marriott Dubai, Jeddah Marriott, Madinah Marriott, Ramada Dubai, Riyadh Marriott, Sharm El Sheikh Marriott, JW Marriott Mirage City Cairo, JW Marriott Kuwait, Marriott Red Sea Resorts, the Paris  hotels and the Austrian hotels.