Marriott plots growth in Greater China

Marriott International Inc. plans to expand its portfolio in Greater China with the anticipated additions of more than 50 hotels in more than 30 destinations across the region this year. The company also expects to open its 500th hotel in Greater China in early 2023, underscoring its confidence in the recovery and long-term growth of the region.

“Greater China is an important growth market for us,” said Henry Lee, president, Greater China, Marriott International. “In the past three years, Marriott International has expanded its footprint in the region with an average of 40 hotel additions per year. Currently, our portfolio includes 448 hotels spanning 23 brands across more than 110 cities in Greater China. In 2022, we will continue to focus on our ‘Brand + Destination’ development strategy, working closely with owners and franchisees to drive travel demand. We expect to introduce more hotel brands into more destinations in Greater China, providing our guests with diversified travel products and experiences.”

Luxury brands continue to be favored by Chinese consumers
According to the latest Bain & Company Luxury Study, China’s share of the global luxury market grew to 21% last year, putting the country on track to become the world’s largest luxury market by 2025. Marriott International expects to enhance its luxury hotel presence in additional leisure destinations in the region and continues to differentiate its brand experiences to better serve guests.

In 2022, the company expects to unveil a Ritz-Carlton Reserve in the Jiuzhaigou Valley. The W brand is slated to debut in Macau, an international city with dining, shopping and entertainment, with the anticipated opening of W Macau—Studio City (pictured above) later this year. JW Marriott is anticipated to debut in Changsha later this year, encouraging guests to maintain a holistic balance in mind and body while on the road.

Premium brands on the rise with the leisure travel trend
The company is poised to strengthen the presence of its premium brands across leisure destinations in 2022. It expects to add more than 15 hotels in more than 10 destinations, aiming to satisfy guests’ desire to explore popular cities for getaways such as Chengdu, Xi’an, Sanya and Qinhuangdao.

Sheraton Hotels & Resorts expects to continue to expand its footprint in Greater China in destinations such as Ningbo, Xi’an and Beihai. Marriott Hotels will also strengthen its portfolio with new hotels anticipated to open across Qinhuangdao and Tianjin in 2022, providing more accommodation choices for leisure travelers while helping to drive the recovery of the domestic travel market.

Desire for Marriott’s select-service brands
Comprising more than 50% of the hotels anticipated to open in 2022, Marriott International’s select-service brand portfolio will continue to drive growth for the company in Greater China, the company reports. According to the “Trending in Travel” report from WTTC and Trip.com, in 2021, rural and suburban destinations in China demonstrated strong growth in booking rates, which indicates an increased tendency among people to travel beyond first-tier cities. In light of this trend, Marriott International has strategic plans to further expand the presence of its select-service brands in the secondary and tertiary markets in 2022.

Moxy Hotels is expected to bring its “Play On” spirit to more cities including its anticipated debut in Suzhou and an expected second property in Xi’an. Four Points by Sheraton expects to accelerate its growth with more than five planned openings in Greater China, making its debut in cities like Nantong and Nanchang. The company also anticipates the debut of Fairfield by Marriott in several niche destinations such as Huai’an, Liaocheng and Zibo.