Last month, Marriott International announced an ambitious expansion strategy focused on Africa.
Rising demand for its brands is accelerating growth across the continent, according to a company statement. This momentum is reflected in recent hotel signings, including Marriott’s first entry into Mozambique. Those agreements position the company to grow its African portfolio by roughly 50 percent, reaching more than 200 hotels and about 38,000 rooms by 2023. Marriott estimates the new properties will help create and support approximately 12,000 jobs.
“Marriott International’s acquisition of Protea Hotels, followed by the acquisition of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, has fueled our organic growth across Africa. We’re seeing strong owner interest in our brands, supported by our combined loyalty program, the reach of our global platform and our experienced local teams,” said Alex Kyriakidis, president and managing director for the Middle East and Africa at Marriott International.
As of October, Marriott operated in 21 African countries, including Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Mali and Morocco.
“Africa represents a compelling opportunity for us. Given our history on the continent, our current footprint and pipeline, a varied brand portfolio and a solid management infrastructure, we believe we have earned the trust and confidence of Africa’s hotel development community,” Kyriakidis added.
Marriott’s release also notes plans to introduce additional select brands to Africa, such as Aloft Hotels, Element, Courtyard by Marriott and Residence Inn by Marriott, further diversifying its offerings across the region.