Meliá Hotels International opens a new market with the management of 3 spectacular hotels in Saidia Med, Morocco

Anasshouir Alami, Chairman of SDS explained that "Meliá has been chosen to operate the new luxury hotels due to its leadership and international experience in leisure travel, which will be key to the development and success of Saidia Med, and also its ability to diversify products to improve the segmentation and attractiveness of the destination."

Meliá joins other international hotel brands signed up to the scheme, ( GDC already owns over 8,000 existing beds and has more than 5,300 under development) and will add 736 new rooms to the destination portfolio

The project consists of three very distinct hotels, all sharing the same "Meliá" brand attributes and standards of excellence, and all in the five-star category:

1. A Meliá "Beach Hotel" next to the beach in an exceptional location beside the golf course and with sea frontage, with 396 rooms, a Spa ,Convention Centre, 4 restaurants and 3 bars, a kid's club and a superb beach club. It's estimated that the hotel will require an investment of 440 million dirhams ($53 million) and will open in 2016.
2. A "Club Hotel" for families overlooking the golf course with 150 spacious rooms for family leisure for both Moroccan and international guests, especially focused on golf for adults and with play areas and pools for kids. It will open in 2016 after an investment estimated at 200 million dirhams ($24 million).
3. Thirdly, Meliá luxury holiday apartments alongside the beach hotel - sharing its exceptional sea views, with 190 fully-equipped rooms to complete the range of Saidia Med accommodation options, requiring an investment of 300 million dirhams ($36 million) and opening in 2017.

The Vice Chairman and CEO of Meliá Hotels International, Gabriel Escarrer, said: "Along with growing leisure travel, we are also seeing a growing demand for superior quality, and travellers seeking the exclusive and unique experience that our Meliá brand offers guests, thanks to its unique attributes and service culture. Almost 60 years of experience and the leadership of Meliá in the leisure hotel business offer the firmest guarantees for the development of this spectacular destination."

The three Meliá hotels are the company's first in Morocco, underscoring the confidence of the leading Spanish hotel company with a presence and market-leading position in key global vacation destinations, in the potential and values of this beautiful destination on the northeast coast of Morocco.

About the Company Saidia Development

Development Corporation Saidia (SDS), a partnership between the Group CDG and the Moroccan Fund for Tourism Development (FMDT), was created to carry and continue the development of Saidia resort Med. SDS is responsible to upgrade the resort and develop a set of bare land, intended to accommodate primarily hotels and tourist residences, as well as components of animation. It also has the mission to upgrade and development of the existing golf course and the marina.