Skift Take
After years of standing on the sidelines, the world's largest hotel chain has committed to growing its all-inclusive portfolio organically. Keep an eye on Latin America and the Caribbean, which will be huge test markets for whether Marriott goes global.
Marriott International watched one all-inclusive hotel after another open in Latin America and the Caribbean over the past decade without so much as an invitation to partner with property owners. But with the announcement of its own proprietary offerings this month, the chain finally decided to take all-inclusive into its own hands.
That’s according to Marriott Chief Development Officer Anthony Capuano, who told Skift that a lack of a recognizable all-inclusive business greatly hindered the company’s growth in the sector until now.
“We don't win every deal, but it's rare that we don't at least get to step up to the plate and take a swing,” he said. Marriott is now slated to open five new branded luxury resorts in Mexico and the Dominican Republic between 2022 and 2025 after previously exploring some M&A opportunities in the all-inclusive space that didn't quite fit, Capuano added.
While Marriott attempted to figure out its go-to market strategy, two of the chains top competitors, Hyatt and Hilton, were quick to act and bolster their all-inclusive offerings. Hilton last year announced plans of committing to growing its all-inclusive portfolio through a partnership with Playa Hotels & Resorts, the same company that helped Hyatt launch its two existing all-inclusive brands in 2013 — Hyatt Ziva and Hya
