Marriott International Targets Growth of Nearly 100 Hotels Across Europe by 2026

Tuesday, April 16, 2024

At the International Hospitality Investment Forum in Berlin, Marriott International, Inc. disclosed its ambitious plan to expand its European operations. The company aims to integrate nearly 100 new properties and more than 12,000 rooms into its European portfolio by the end of 2026, primarily through converting existing buildings into hotels. This growth strategy accounts for over 40 percent of Marriott’s projected hotel openings in Europe during this period.

Currently, Marriott operates over 800 properties with close to 150,000 rooms across 47 countries and territories in Europe, spanning 25 distinct brands. This expansion will significantly enhance Marriott’s presence in the region.

“We continue to see meaningful growth across Europe through conversion and adaptive reuse opportunities, reinforcing the confidence our owners and franchisees have in Marriott International as they look to reposition assets and maximise returns,” says Satya Anand, President, Europe, Middle East & Africa, Marriott International. “Conversions with Marriott offer owners and franchisees the opportunity to leverage our well-established brands, competitive affiliation costs, the company’s powerful revenue generation engines and Marriott Bonvoy – our award-winning travel programme with more than 200 million members.”

The momentum for these conversion initiatives is particularly strong in Italy, the United Kingdom, Spain, and Türkiye, covering all brand segments. The launch of Marriott’s new midscale brand, Four Points Express by Sheraton, in 2023 has already catalyzed conversion activities in the region. This was in response to the increasing demand for dependable, yet affordable accommodations in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. The brand plans to open five more properties in the United Kingdom and Türkiye by the end of 2025.

In the select service category, Moxy Hotels, AC Hotels by Marriott, Four Points by Sheraton, and Residence Inn by Marriott are expected to contribute to over 25 percent of Marriott’s new additions in Europe via conversions and adaptive reuse by 2026. Meanwhile, the Tribute Portfolio and Autograph Collection are set to represent more than 20 percent of the additions in the premium segment.

Additionally, the luxury segment shows significant growth potential, with The Luxury Collection, W Hotels, The Ritz-Carlton, and St. Regis Hotels & Resorts expected to make up more than 10 percent of Marriott’s expansions in Europe through adaptive reuse and conversions by the end of 2026.

“We are seeing significant interest from independent hoteliers, developers and investors looking to leverage the efficiencies and advantages of renovating and rebranding existing hotels and properties,” Jerome Briet, Chief Development Officer, Europe, Middle East & Africa, Marriott International, says “Adding an existing property to our portfolio provides access to Marriott Bonvoy, our well-established loyalty programme, our sales and marketing platforms and our global customer base. This in turn gives Marriott the opportunity to further expand the breadth of our brand portfolio for our guests and members. We are particularly seeing momentum across The Luxury Collection, Autograph Collection and Tribute Portfolio brands which allow hotels an opportunity to keep their identity and personality while pulling into the power of Marriott’s global systems.”