Marriott Turns Its Focus To Meetings

The Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, MD. Photo: Marriott International, Inc.

Marriott International is expanding its meeting space portfolio, global officer of brand management and global sales Brian King announced at the Global Business Travel Association's annual convention taking place this week in Denver, CO.

“Marriott is in the midst of one of its most exciting periods ever for business travel professionals,” King said. "In the coming year, we'll be unveiling scores of new luxury and lifestyle properties and significant new ballrooms worldwide.”

King said corporate travel remains an important sector for Marriott, and highlighted several projects that will add to its Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Events (MICE) offerings.  They include the 2-million-square-foot Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center in nearby Aurora; when the property opens in 2018, it will be the largest hotel and convention center in Colorado.

Construction at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center near Washington D.C. is also underway. The freestanding 23,000-square-foot ballroom overlooking the Potomac River is scheduled to open in July 2017.

Additionally, the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center near Dallas began work on a $120 million expansion to be completed in 2019. It will add 86,000 square feet of meeting space, including a new ballroom.

Marriott also plans to open more than 100 luxury and lifestyle hotels over the next year, King said, highlighting the Ritz-Carlton debuting in Langkawi, Malaysia; AC by Marriott, continuing its global expansion to Mexico, Brazil and Germany; three new JW Marriott properties in China; and new locations for the Moxy brand in Europe.

Marriott operates nearly 4,500 properties worldwide under 19 brands.