Marriott International has revealed growth targets for its portfolio of independent hotel brands, which it says “underscores the demand Marriott is seeing for more customised, local experiences”.
The group says it expects its three independent hotel collection brands – The Luxury Collection, Autograph Collection and Tribute Portfolio – to grow by 20 per cent in 2017, and by nearly 50 per cent by 2019.
Marriott launched its Autograph brand in 2010, and incorporated The Luxury Collection and Tribute Portfolio (launched in 2015) into its offering when it merged with Starwood last year.
The combined group now offers over 240 independent hotels across the three brands. Marriott said that each collection “has a clear point of view”.
Marriott says that The Luxury Collection represents “hotels that define the destination and provide the full luxury experience”, while the Autograph Collection offers “a distinguished portfolio of independent hotels around the world that are exactly like nothing else, hand-selected for their rich character and uncommon details”, and the Tribute Portfolio comprises “hotels with an indie-spirit that comes to life through captivating design and vibrant social spaces”.
Marriott says it will add over 40 collection properties this year, expanding the portfolio to 50 countries and territories,
Commenting on the expansion plans Stephanie Linnartz, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer at Marriott International said:
“Size, scale and choice really do matter in the complicated distribution environment that we are in.
“Independent hotels are an invaluable part of our portfolio, because they make our loyalty programme more compelling, our sales efforts more effective and our overall hotel portfolio even more attractive to guests.”
