With all the flurry of commotion that comes with Marriott's deal for Starwood is concern for hotel owners in marketplaces that may be overpopulated with brands and properties all flying under the same flag and competing for guest loyalty.
CEO Arne Sorenson writes a letter to Marriott employees, laying out the compelling reasons for the merger and assuring them that the integration will go as smoothly as possible.
Marriott's CEO Arne Sorenson addresses Starwood's fleet of employees by offering them assurance through transparency and a healthy dose of optimism for the future.
The Marriott-Starwood deal is much more than putting on a fresh coat of paint and moving on with business as usual. The integration process will likely take years, and franchisees can thank booking sites for their large role in that difficulty.
Just as Starwood itself identified earlier this year, some of the hotels in the Sheraton portfolio don't meet brand standards and some of them may end up losing their flags under Marriott's leadership.
Hotels like that online travel agencies sell their rooms, but they'd much rather sell the rooms themselves -- especially as consolidation has given giants like Expedia more power over negotiating prices.