Marriott International, Inc. encompasses a portfolio of more than 6,900 properties in 30 leading hotel brands spanning 130 countries and territories. This year, the company is on track to grow its portfolio by 45 percent through the end of 2023 with over 100 properties (26,000 rooms) under development 19 of which expected to launch in 2019 throughout the Middle East and Africa. The global expansion plan is valued at $8 billion of investment from property owners and projected to generate over 20,000 new jobs across the region.
“Our growth across the Middle East and Africa is fuelled by strong demand for our diverse range of well-established brands, each offering different attributes that cater to this region’s ever-changing and evolving marketplace,” said Jerome Briet, Chief Development Officer, Middle East & Africa, Marriott International. “This region continues to present us with opportunities to further grow and enhance our portfolio across new and established markets. While the majority of our growth will be through new-builds, we are seeing an increasing number of conversion opportunities, especially in the luxury space.”
Year-to-date, the company has opened five new properties in the region and is expected to add 14 more bringing its portfolio across the region to nearly 270 properties and over 60,000 rooms by year’s end.
Demand for luxury brands
The company is poised to expand its luxury footprint in the region by more than 70 percent come 2023, with more than 25 luxury properties under development. The company expects to grow its luxury portfolio in 2019 with seven anticipated openings across four brands:
With the recent opening of W Dubai – The Palm and the anticipated openings of W Muscat and W Yas Island, W Hotels should double its portfolio in the region.
Regis anticipates debuting in Jordan and Egypt with the openings of The St. Regis Amman and The St. Regis Cairo.
The iconic North Island is expected to join The Luxury Collection’s portfolio of world-renowned hotels and resorts.
JW Marriott anticipates marking its entry into Oman with the opening of the JW Marriott Muscat Convention Center.
Substantial growth across premium brands
The growth of Marriott’s premium brands remains steady across the region with more than 30 hotels expected to be added to the portfolio by the end of 2023. By the end of 2019, the company expects to have added four new hotels under its premium portfolio for the region:
The Autograph Collection anticipates marking its debut in Kenya with the addition of Sankara Nairobi.
Marriott Hotels and Marriott Executive Apartments strengthened its presence in Saudi Arabia with the recent openings in the Diplomatic Quarter of Riyadh. Marriott Executive Apartments is also expected to open a new property in Madinah later this year.
Marriott Hotels is also planning to open its second property in Algeria, in the capital city of Algiers.
In addition to the openings in 2019, Marriott is also focused on the transformation journey of Sheraton Hotels & Resorts, the company’s most global brand. In the region, Sheraton Jeddah Hotel and Sheraton Grand Hotel, Dubai are currently undergoing renovations that represent the brand’s vision for the future.
Regional demand for select-service hotels
Currently representing over 40 percent of the company’s development pipeline through 2023, select-serve brands continue their rapid growth trajectory across the Middle East and Africa. Building on the momentum from 2018, with ten properties added across the region, including four Aloft hotels in the UAE, the company expects to add seven new properties by the end of this year:
Four Points by Sheraton anticipates expanding its portfolio with a total of four openings in 2019. The brand recently opened properties in Sharjah (UAE) and Setif (Algeria) and is on track to open two more properties this year including, Four Points by Sheraton Dar es Salaam New Africa in Tanzania and Four Points by Sheraton Lahore in Pakistan.
Residence Inn by Marriott expects to make its debut in Algeria with the opening of Residence Inn by Marriott Algiers.
Protea Hotels by Marriott plans to expand the brand in Uganda with the opening of Protea Hotel by Marriott Naguru Skyz.
Element Hotels is set to launch its first property in Africa with the opening of Element Dar es Salaam in Tanzania.
Rita Ghantous is a hospitality aficionado and a passionate writer with over 9 years’ experience in journalism and 5 years experience in the hospitality sector.
Her passion for the performance arts and writing, started early. At 10 years old she was praised for her solo performance of the Beatles song “All My Love” accompanied by a guitarist, and was approached by a French talent scout during her school play. However, her love for writing was stronger. Fresh out of school, she became a freelance journalist for Noun Magazine and was awarded the Silver Award Cup for Outstanding Poetry, by The International Library of Poetry (Washington DC).
She studied Business Management and earned a Masters degree from Saint Joseph University (USJ), her thesis was published in the Proche-Orient, Études en Management book.
She then pursued a career in the hospitality industry but didn’t give up writing, that is why she launched the Four Points by Sheraton Le Verdun Newsletter.
Her love for the industry and journalism led her to Hospitality Services - the organizers of the HORECA trade show in Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Jordan, as well as Salon Du Chocolat, Beirut Cooking Festival, Whisky Live and other regional shows. She is currently the Publications Executive of Hospitality News Middle East, Taste & Flavors and Lebanon Traveler.
It is with ultimate devotion for her magazines that she demonstrates her hospitality savoir-faire.
