Marriott Case Study

Marriott International

Each year, America’s travel and tourism industry generates approximately $1.5 trillion dollars in economic output, or about 2.6% of the country’s gross domestic product (Select USA, 2016). Nearly 20% of this economic activity is directly related to accommodations, which serve the short term lodging needs of pleasure and business travelers. Unlike other American economic sectors, this lodging industry is a highly fragmented, diversified market with an incredible variety of suppliers. Temporary overnight lodging can range from undeveloped campsites, hostels, and capsule hotels all the way up to mansions and incredibly luxurious five store hotels. Price ranges run the gamut from just a few dollars a night to thousands of

47% of Marriott’s rooms are in North American Limited Service, 30% are classified as North American Full Service, and the remaining 23% of its rooms are in the international segment (Marriott, 2015). Recognizing that travelers have a range of budgetary and amenities needs, Marriott operates its properties under a variety of different brand names, 19 in total, each of which has its own “price and service points” (Marriott, 2015). Most of Marriott’s brands are at the high end of the market, which includes such widely recognized luxury brands as the Ritz-Carlton, JW Marriott, Renaissance Hotels, Bulgari Hotels, Marriott Executive Apartments, Marriott Vacation Club, Edition Hotels, Autograph Collection Hotels, Gaylord Hotels, and Marriott Hotels (Marriott, 2015). These properties often command nightly rental rates that can run several hundred dollars a night and offer a wide range of amenities well suited for both business and pleasure travelers. These properties are classified as “Full-Service.” Marriott also offers a range of “Limited-Service” brands that do not contain as many amenities and tend to be much cheaper than the Full-Service line. Examples of these properties include Courtyard, Residence Inn, SpringHill Suites, and Fairfield Inn & Suites (Marriott, 2015). Even though these properties are considered Limited-Service, they do offer considerably nicer accommodations and more amenities than other types of budget motels and hotels. In contrast to many of the other hotel brands, Marriott International does not operate any midscale, economy, or budget