Marriott could reach a million rooms in 2015

Davos – Continuing its trajectory of rapid global growth and creating opportunity, Marriott International said it expects its portfolio of hotels either open or under development to surpass 1 million rooms by the end of 2015.

When open, the hotels under development will have generated more than $50bn in real estate investment globally by Marriott’s owner partners and created over 150 000 anticipated new hotel jobs.

Arne Sorenson, Marriott’s president and chief executive officer, said: “In 2014 alone, Marriott signed agreements for more than 650 hotels and 100 000 rooms to be added to its worldwide system over the next few years, a signing pace of nearly two new hotel deals a day."

In developing regions such as Haiti and Africa, Marriott is working closely with hotel owners and non-governmental organizations to prepare and then hire local residents to manage and operate new hotels.

“With nearly 1 billion people moving upward into the middle class across the globe, the incentives to travel, both for business and to see the world, are powerful and are building in momentum," he said.

“Clearly efforts to grow, generate economic opportunity and encourage travel can pay big dividends, not just for companies involved, but for communities around the world.”