Marriott Says 2009 Worldwide Gross Rooms Additions, REVPAR Outside North America Better Than Expected; North American REVPAR on Track

BETHESDA, Md., Dec 08, 2009 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX News Network/ -- Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR) today said that it expects to add approximately 38,000 rooms to its worldwide lodging system in 2009, raising its guidance of 33,000 gross room additions for 2009 provided in its third quarter earnings press release on October 8, 2009.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090217/MARRIOTTINTLLOGO )

The company also said that systemwide revenue per available room (REVPAR) outside North America for the fourth quarter of 2009 should decline 14 to 16 percent, which is two percentage points better than expected. Marriott expects that the decline in systemwide REVPAR inside North America to be within prior guidance. On October 8, the company provided guidance of a 16 to 18 percent REVPAR decline for the fourth quarter of 2009 year-over-year for comparable systemwide hotels outside North America on a constant dollar basis, and a 13 to 16 percent REVPAR decline for comparable systemwide hotels in North America.

For its timeshare business, Marriott expects contract sales of timeshare intervals in the fourth quarter of 2009 to be slightly better than the guidance of $185 million to $190 million the company provided on October 8. The successful completion of a note sale securitization during the current fourth quarter, which yielded a $37 million gain, and stronger than expected rental profits should enable Marriott's timeshare segment to outperform its expectations.

Marriott will issue fourth quarter and full-year 2009 results on February 11, 2010.

Visit Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR) for company information.

Note: This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of federal securities laws, including REVPAR trends, statements concerning the number of lodging properties we expect to add in the future; anticipated timeshare business contract sales; and similar statements concerning anticipated future events and expectations that are not historical facts. We caution you that these statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including the possibility that present operating trends might not continue through the end of the year; competitive conditions in the lodging industry; the availability of capital to finance hotel growth and refurbishment; and other risk factors identified in our most recent quarterly report on Form 10-Q; any of which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by the statements herein. These statements are made as of the date of this press release, and we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

IRPR#1

SOURCE Marriott International, Inc.

http://www.marriott.com

Copyright (C) 2009 PR Newswire. All rights reserved