Marriott International, the largest hotel chain in the world, recently announced plans to expand its brand rapidly across the continent of Africa.

 

Related: Nairobi Hotels: From Airbnb To Hidden Gems. 

 

Marriott now has over 6,500 properties in over 127 countries and territories around the world. With this new announcement, the company is well on its way to increase its reach by 50 percent by adding over 200 hotels and over 37,000 rooms by the year 2023. This power move will bring more than 12,000 new jobs as well.

 

Marriott includes 30 hotel brands such as The Ritz Carlton, Aloft Hotels, W Hotels, Courtyard By Marriott,  Westin Hotels and Resorts, and more.

 

As of today, Marriott has a presence in over 21 African countries:  Algeria, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Mauritius, Morocco, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, and Zambia.

 

With the new expansion, the company plans to move into newer markets including Benin, Botswana, Ivory Coast, Mauritania, Mozambique, and Senegal.

 

Related: Hotels: Where To Stay During A Trip To Egypt. 

 

So what does this move mean for Africa? According to Marriott, it expects it to create a robust economic impact with those countries. The move will also bring more than $250 million in investments by property owners.

 

The company cites the increased demand for select-service brands and conversion opportunities as the reason for its growth. This is magnified by the hotel signings, including the Marriott Marrakech Hotel in Morocco. Recent conversions include Four Points by Sheraton Nairobi, Hurlingham, Four Points by Sheraton Arusha, The Arusha Hotel, Tanzania and the Mena House, Cairo.

 

“The increasing demand for conversion deals from new and existing partners is a strong reflection of Marriott International’s powerful network, loyal customer base and commitment to deliver value for owners,” Alex Kyriakidis, President and Managing Director, Middle East and Africa, Marriott International, said in a statement. “We’ve developed a conversion-friendly strategy, which allows us to deliver value to our partners through a flexible, cost-efficient process that yields almost immediate results. That strategy gives our partners access to world-class reservation systems and our loyalty program.”

 

This new move is sure to set Marriott apart from other hotel brands around the world.