MARRIOTT UNPRECEDENTED EXPANSION INVOLVES HOTEL-A-DAY
David Wilkening, Travel Mole, 5/1/2007
Marriott is opening 100 hotels or more than $1.2 billion worth of new properties in the next 100 days, most of them throughout North America.
"Our focus has always been on growth, and this exciting milestone brings us even closer to the company's year-end goal of 3,000 hotels worldwide," said J.W. Marriott, Jr., chairman and chief executive officer, Marriott International. "Our development team is working closely with them to open, refresh and reinvent hotels faster than ever before."
More than 90% of this unprecedented growth involves Marriott's select service and extended stay brands which are undergoing major makeovers. The majority will be franchise hotels including Courtyard (32), Fairfield Inn (20), Residence Inn (16), SpringHill Suites (16) and TownePlace Suites (13).
Outside North America, a new Courtyard will open in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico; and Marriott hotels in Ashbourne, Ireland and Tijuana, Mexico during the 100 days.
The company will also open new full service Marriott hotels in Charleston, South Carolina; New Orleans, Louisiana; and a JW Marriott luxury property in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Renaissance hotels will be added in Washington, D.C.; Providence, Rhode Island; Mobile, Alabama; Charlotte, North Carolina; and Minneapolis, Minnesota.