Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) anticipates another year of extraordinary growth in 2008, building on the company's record-setting success in 2007. Early this year Starwood will mark a milestone with the opening of its 900th hotel, and expects to increase its portfolio by 50% over the next five years, driven by aggressive global expansion across all its brands and the unprecedented growth of its two new brands, Aloft and Element, which both expect to open their first hotels this year.

Starwood's active pipeline includes 500 hotels and 120,000 rooms. Approximately half of Starwood's new hotels are expected to open outside of North America, reflecting the company's impressive growth in dynamic international markets. The global hotel giant expects to add 80 - 100 hotels to its portfolio this year, up more than 50% from the number it opened in 2007.

Research outlining key trends and drivers shaping industry through to 2020 to be unveiled at Dubai’s Hotel Show

A massive $3.63 trillion is being invested in hotels, leisure projects, aviation developments, cruise lines, tourism promotion and supporting infrastructure, across the Middle East, according to the preliminary results of a research programme unveiled today. The study covers 13 Middle Eastern countries for the period to 2020 and is to be published in full at the Hotel Show 2008, the Middle East's leading supplies exhibition to the region’s hospitality sector, taking place at the Dubai International Exhibition Centre from 8-10 June 2008.

The Middle East Industry Outlook 2020 is an update of a groundbreaking research study by Fast Future and Global Futures and Foresight (GFF) on the Future of Travel and Tourism in the Middle East. The study is sponsored by the Hotel Show, Siraj Capital, Nakheel and Silverjet. Strategic partners on the study are the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) and IMEX Frankfurt.

15 new openings with Hilton hotel in every capital city; UK is number one international source market for Hilton Hotels in the Middle East Hilton Hotels Corporation anticipates doubling its portfolio in Middle East & Africa over the next five years in line with the company's strategic focus on development and growth. Currently with 43 properties and 15 new openings scheduled over the next three years in the Arabian Peninsula, Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Morocco, Algeria, Africa and Indian Ocean, the Middle East's leading hotel brand (ref. Business Development Research Consultants 2007 survey) is targeting a Hilton hotel in every capital city.