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Our Bureau

Mumbai, June 30 Marriott International Inc, a US-based hotel company, would manage 15 more properties in India, taking the total count to 21 by 2010.

Addressing a press conference on Friday, the company said it would be cashing in on rising business and leisure travel in the country.

Currently, Marriott operates six properties spread over Mumbai, Goa, Hyderabad and Chennai with a room strength of 1,534.

The additions will take the total number of rooms to 5,224 by 2010, the company said.

Marriott manages nearly 2,900 hotels around the world under brands, including Ritz-Carlton and Residence Inn.

Of the 15 Marriott hotels, eight will be Courtyard hotels, said Mr Geoff Garside, Executive Vice-President of Asia Pacific.

The hotel operator feels that Courtyard, its brand between four-star and five-star category, would find better space with the growing purchasing power of the Indian middle class.

“If you look at markets like China and India, most operators are coming in at the higher end. But we have seen our Courtyard brand growing more quickly, as it meets the needs of the middle management that is travelling more often,” he told newspersons.

The upcoming hotels, apart from Courtyard brand, also include JW Marriott, Renaissance, Ritz-Carlton and Marriott Executive Apartments opening in Bangalore, Gurgaon, Noida, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Pune.

Mr Garside added the company “would love to have leisure resorts in Rajasthan and Kerala too”. Marriott, like most global hotel chains, is planning to expand or set up a base in India, undertakes management contracts for running hotels as the real estate prices soar in the country. In fact, of its total international presence, Marriott owns just around 10 hotels, Mr Garside said.

More Stories on : Outlook | Hotels

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