July 11, 2011 - Marriott Hotels & Resorts announced plans in Panama City to develop the 180-room Casamar Marriott Panama Resort within the Casamar master-planned resort community on Panama’s Pacific coast.  The five-star resort, under a franchise agreement with Casamar Development, S.A. and Corporación Turística del Pacífico, S.A., will open in 2013 and be a significant addition to Panama’s Pacific beachfront resorts. Marriott Hotels & Resorts is the signature brand of Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR), with more than 500 hotels in 54 countries.

On hand to celebrate the announcement of the hotel were (from left) Fernando Duque Maldonado, president of Casamar Development, S.A. and Corporación Turística del Pacífico, S.A; Ricardo Alberto Martinelli Berrocal, President of Panama; Dave Grissen, president of the Americas for Marriott International; and Alberto Vallarino Clement, Panama’s Finance Minister.

The Casamar Marriott Resort will be situated on the beach, near the town of San Carlos, approximately 55 miles from Panama City. The Casamar community will include a number of condominium and villa clusters, tropical gardens and walking trails, freestanding restaurants, retail units, a sports club and a beach club.  Panama’s Pacific Coastline, traditionally a weekend retreat for wealthy Panamanians, is quickly developing into resort destination with the development of quality resort hotels, and from 2002 to 2010, tourist visitation to the area more than doubled, to 1.7 million.

“We are pleased to be developing the Casamar Marriott Resort on the spectacular Pacific coast of Panama”, said Fernando Duque Maldonado, president of Casamar Development, S.A. and Corporación Turística del Pacífico, S.A. “Based on the combined experience in successful master planned communities and residential units from the developers involved in this project, we believe that the Casamar Marriott will be equally successful.”

"The Casamar Marriott Resort will join the Marriott Hotels & Resorts portfolio of more than 60 golf, beach and spa destinations around the world,” said Paul Cahill, senior vice president of brand management for Marriott Hotels & Resorts. “Each resort offers a magnificent location and contemporary style and design, combined with five-star services to make leisure stays relaxing and rejuvenating, and business meetings and social events a complete success.”

The Casamar Marriott Panama Resort will offer 180 guest rooms in a series of interconnected buildings surrounding the hotel’s public and recreation areas, which include a large free-form swimming pool and extensive deck areas. he hotel will also have two restaurants, two bars, extensive meeting space, retail outlets and a full-service spa. The project architect will be Zurcher Architects, whose work includes the Bristol Buenaventura Resort, as well as all the Marriott Hotels & Resorts and JW Marriott properties in Costa Rica – the Costa Rica Marriott in San Jose, Marriott Los Sueños Ocean & Golf Resort, and the JW Marriott Guanacaste Resort & Spa.

“Marriott International has been in Panama since 1999, with the Panama Marriott Hotel, and are proud to continue to bring our brands to this wonderful country,” said Dave Grissen, president of the Americas for Marriott International. Marriott also has two Courtyard by Marriott hotels in the country.

“Panama offers a stable political environment, a thriving economy and a hub for multinational businesses,” said Laurent de Kousemaeker, chief development officer for Marriott International in the Caribbean and Latin America. “The country’s beautiful natural landscapes, colonial towns, mountains, islands, natural parks, volcano, rainforests, sublime beaches and year-round climate, combined with its well-developed infrastructure and great air lift, provides it with a great competitive advantage as a resort destination.”

Panama, known by many as: “Bridge of the world, heart of the universe” is considered the meetings hub of the Americas, with its fine tourism infrastructure and convenient air access from all cities in North and South America. Panama City’s Tocumen International Airport is the hub for Copa Airlines, which currently offers more than 168 daily flights to 57 destinations in 28 countries in North, Central and South America and the Caribbean.

Marriott Hotels & Resorts continues to inspire and provide a balanced life on the road for discerning and high-achieving business and leisure travelers, offering warm, professional service; sophisticated yet functional guest room design; lobby spaces that facilitate working, dining and socializing; restaurants and bars serving international cuisine prepared simply and from the freshest ingredients; meeting and event spaces and services that are gold standard; and expansive, 24-hour fitness facilities. All Marriott hotels participate in the award winning Marriott Rewards frequent travel program that allows members to earn hotel points or airline miles for every dollar spent during each stay. For more information, visit www.MarriottHotels.com.  Follow Marriott Hotels & Resorts on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MarriottHotels.

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