Marriott International expects to more than double the size of its portfolio in the Asia Pacific region in the next few years.
With 132 hotels currently open in Asia and a pipeline totaling an additional 143 properties, the company expects to grow to at least 265 regional hotels by 2016, comprising more than 80,000 rooms across 16 countries.
“Our growth in the region… is a great testament to the popularity of our brands,” said Simon Cooper, Marriott’s President & Managing Director for Asia. “We operate a strategically targeted brand portfolio and our products clearly resonate with our guests, our hotel owners and the communities in which we operate. We have seen great growth across our portfolio and expect to be launching new brands in the region soon, with the introduction of Fairfield by Marriott in India next year and the launch of our Edition brand in Bangkok in 2014. We expect to grow dynamically but sustainably in Asia for many more years to come.”
Marriott currently operates eight brands in Asia Pacific: Bulgari, Ritz-Carlton, JW Marriott, Renaissance, Marriott, Courtyard by Marriott, Marriott Executive Apartments and the recently launched Autograph Collection, which debuted in Asia with the opening of The Stones Legian in Bali this month.
Unsurprisingly, Marriott expects China to lead its Asian growth. The company currently has 127 open and signed hotels in China and expects to open an average of one hotel per month in the country for the next five years. In India meanwhile, 23 hotels are already under construction and the company expects to grow from 15 to more than 50 hotels in the next few years. But Cooper stressed that its Asian expansion was not only confined to these two markets.
“While China and India are the driving forces for our business in Asia, we are also seeing growth with new signings and openings in Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Vietnam and elsewhere in the region,” he commented.
Marriott also expects to create approximately 36,000 new jobs in Asia, increasing its workforce to more than 76,000 staff in the region by 2016 including 40,000 in China alone.
