Incentive Travel reports Arne Sorenson, the new CEO of Marriott International, announced Marriott is aiming to double its presence in the Caribbean and Latin America by 2017.
Sorenson also claimed to double Marriott's footprint in Colombia with the additions of hotels in Cartagena and Cali increasing the workforce from 13,000 to 27,000 employees.
Marriott has 35 hotels signed and under development in the Caribbean and Latin America. The first Ritz-Carlton Reserve in the region at Dorado Beach, Puerto Rico, the JW Marriott in Cusco, Peru and the Courtyard by Marriott at Mexico City Airport are all due to open this year.
Currently, nine of Marriott's 18 brands are present in the Caribbean and Latin America with 69 hotels in 25 countries.
Sorenson stated, "The rising middle class throughout the region is eager to travel to new places and do business on the road. Worldwide, we're seeing a golden age of travel, and Latin America is at the forefront. This, when combined with the strong performance and preference of our brands in the gateway markets, provides tremendous opportunity for Marriott's world class brands and service."
Read Incentive Travel's story here.
