The “affordable midscale” City Express portfolio currently comprises around 17,000 rooms. This is seen across 150 properties in Mexico, Costa Rica, Colombia, and Chile, with various plans to expand into countries including Bolivia, Brazil and Nicaragua. Marriott had also been working on something called Project Mid-T by Marriott. This as of now is confirmed to be the expansion of the City Express by Marriott brand into North America.
The group said that the brand is designed to be conversion-friendly, especially “with an opportunity for new builds in the future”, adding further, that is had received “extensive interest from owners and franchisees”, with agreements and “possible hotel openings” anticipated over the next few months.
What Did Diana Plazas-Trowbridge Say On The Recent Development?
Here is what Diana Plazas-Towbridge say on the recent development of Mariott which will now expand in the USA and Canada much to the happiness of travellers:
“Since entering the affordable midscale space with the acquisition of City Express in the Caribbean and Latin America (CALA) region just over a year ago, we have seen tremendous interest for the brand and are pleased with its growth across the region.
“With this announcement, Marriott is excited to continue our growth in the affordable midscale segment and provide a new welcoming, affordable, and reliable option for value-conscious travellers in the US and Canada.”
About Mariott International
The Marriott hotel chain began when the Hot Shoppes, Inc. restaurant company decided to then, diversify into hotels. Its first hotel opened in 1957 in Virginia. This was the Marriott Motor Hotel, adjacent to The Pentagon and Washington National Airport. The company’s second hotel was the nearby Marriott Key Bridge Motor Hotel. This opened in 1959 and it was soon followed by Marriott Motor Hotels in Dallas in 1960, Philadelphia in 1961, Atlanta in 1965, and Saddle Brook, New Jersey in 1966.
Hot Shoppes, Inc. was renamed the Marriott Corporation in 1967, by which point it was operating 8 hotels. In 1967, Marriott acquired its first resort hotel. This was the historic Camelback Inn in Arizona, United States. In 1969, the Paraiso Marriott, the first international Marriott Hotel, opened in Acapulco, Mexico. That same year, Marriott bought the famed Essex House overlooking Central Park in New York City.
In 1972, the Marriott lodging division acquired the Greek-based Sun Line cruise line. This was owned until 1987. In 1975, Marriott Hotels & Resorts expanded to Europe, with the opening of the Amsterdam Marriott. Plus, in these first several decades, Marriott International owned and managed many of the hotels within its portfolio. In 1993, the company decided to spin off the real estate ownership operations. This was to be done as a new company, Host Marriott, while retaining hotel management services under the Marriott International company name.
Development of Mariott Since 2015
Year
Milestone/Development
2015
Marriott acquires Starwood Hotels & Resorts, creating the world’s largest hotel company.
2016
Launch of the Marriott Rewards app; introduction of new brands like Moxy Hotels.
2017
Completion of the Starwood integration; expansion into new markets, particularly in Asia.
2018
Marriott introduces its new loyalty program, Marriott Bonvoy, merging rewards from previous programs.
2019
Launch of the home rental platform, Homes & Villas by Marriott International.
2020
Impact of COVID-19; Marriott focuses on health and safety protocols with “Commitment to Clean.”
2021
Gradual recovery post-COVID; expansion of luxury brands like Ritz-Carlton and St. Regis.
2022
Continued growth in sustainability initiatives; addition of brands like Element Hotels.
2023
Expansion of Marriott Bonvoy benefits and global reach; focus on technology and personalization in guest experiences.
