Marriott International says it expects to add 19 new properties and more than 3,000 rooms to its Middle East and Africa portfolio in 2019.
The goal is part of the company’s wider expansion plan, which aims to add more than 100 properties and nearly 26,000 rooms across the region by 2023. Marriott says this represents an investment of nearly US$8 billion from property owners and the creation of more than 20,000 new jobs.
To date this year, the company has opened five new properties across the region and plans to open 14 more by the end of 2019.
The group’s luxury brands have more than 25 properties in development through 2023, including the anticipated openings of W Muscat and W Yas Island and the recent debut of the W Dubai – The Palm. St Regis is due to debut in Jordan and Egypt, while the JW Marriott Muscat Convention Center is set to open in Oman.
Marriott’s premium brands will add four new hotels by the end of the year, including recent openings for Marriott Hotels and Marriott Executive Apartments in Riyadh’s Diplomatic Quarter. It also expects to open an Executive Apartments property in Madinah later this year. The Autograph Collection is due to make its debut in Kenya with Sankara Nairobi (pictured), while Marriott Hotels will open its second location in Algeria in the capital city of Algiers.
In addition, the Sheraton Jeddah and Sheraton Grand Hotel, Dubai properties are undergoing renovations as part of the group’s transformation project for the brand.
Meanwhile, Marriott’s ‘select-service’ brands represent more than 40 per cent of the company’s pipeline through 2023.
Four Points by Sheraton recently opened properties in Sharjah (UAE) and Setif (Algeria) and is on track to open two more hotels in Tanzania and Pakistan. Residence Inn by Marriott will debut in Algeria, while Protea Hotels by Marriott Naguru Skyz will expand the brand in Uganda. Lastly, Element Hotels will launch its first property in Africa with the Element Dar es Salaam in Tanzania.
Jerome Briet, chief development officer, Middle East and Africa at Marriott International, said: “Our growth across the Middle East and Africa is fuelled by a 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.
“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.”
marriott.com