Senior executives of Global Hyatt Corporation have said that the Middle East and Southwest Asia region offers key growth opportunities for the company, and Hyatt expects to make related announcements at the Arabian Travel Market 2008 exhibition, taking place in Dubai 6-9 May.

Now in its 15th year at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, the Arabian Travel Market is the region’s leading, annual travel and tourism gathering for industry professionals.

Hyatt operates more than 750 hotels and resorts in more than 45 countries, including eight in the Middle East, and it has regional expansion plans.

Global Hyatt Corporation in January of this year opened in Dubai a southwest Asia divisional office to manage four existing properties in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states and six in India, but also 18 new projects in progress across the GCC and India and scheduled for completion from now until 2013.

“Arabian Travel Market 2008 is an ideal platform for Hyatt to tell its story of growth to all of our key stakeholders in the industry, and we have quite a strong story to tell moving forward,” said Peter Fulton, newly-appointed Hyatt Managing Director of Southwest Asia.  “We will be expanding across the Gulf but also into India in the coming years, and we hope to make a few announcements in early May at the Arabian Travel Market 2008 exhibition.”

Hyatt’s Arabian Travel Market 2008 exhibition stand will host several general managers and sales executives from Hyatt properties around the world – reaching as far and wide as the North America, Europe, and Asia – who will participate this year to meet with travel and hospitality representatives from across the region.