Marriott International Introduces Two Brands in Morocco, Expands in Africa

Rabat – In a bid to expand its footprint in Africa, American hospitality company Marriott International has announced its plans to build over 30 hotels on the continent by 2024. The project expects to increase the company’s regional capacity by more than 5,000 rooms.

The company announced that it expects to open five hotels in Africa by the end of 2024 including the Ritz-Carlton in Rabat Dar Es Salam and the St. Regis La Bahia Blanca Resort in Tamuda.

Marriott International’s Regional Vice President of Development in Africa Karim Cheltout said during the Africa Hospitality Investment Forum in Taghazout Bay that the “expansion plans reinforce [the company’s] commitment to Africa and highlight the growth of the travel and tourism sector across the continent.”

The hotel giant currently manages a solid regional portfolio including 130 properties across 20 countries with a total of more than 23,000 rooms.

By introducing Delta Hotels to the continent in 2023 and consolidating the presence of select-service brands such as Protea Hotels and Four Points, the multinational seeks to capitalize on Africa’s growing hospitality markets in Morocco, Kenya, Malawi, and Angola, among others.

Given Morocco’s strategic geographic location and growing economy, the country has attracted numerous investments in the hospitality sector from Hilton, Barcelo, and others.

In June, the African Hotel Chain Development Pipeline Survey reported that Morocco hosts Africa’s second-largest number of planned hotel rooms amounting to 7,209 rooms within 50 hospitality establishments.

The survey detailed that the country has 77.4% of its total planned rooms under construction and further highlighted Morocco’s leading position in Africa’s booming hospitality sector.

Despite the lingering economic repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic, Managing Director of W Hospitality Group Trevor Ward stated earlier this year that 200 new hotels are expected to open in Africa in 2022. Ward stressed that the pandemic would not “dent long-term investor confidence in hospitality.”

According to the hospitality survey, Accor and Marriott International are dominating the African hospitality sector, followed by Hilton and the Radisson Hotel Group.