When Marriott International and Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide joined together, the merger created the largest hotel company in the world. Marriott has 1.3 million rooms in 130 countries and territories under 30 brands across the globe.
This was just one of many consolidations in the industry. InterContinental Hotels Group purchased Bangkok-based Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas for $300 million following its majority investment in Regent Hotels and its 2014 acquisition of Kimpton. IHG’s portfolio now includes more than 5,500 hotels in nearly 100 countries, accounting for approximately 826,000 guest rooms. Wyndham Hotel Group acquired Dolce Hotels and Resorts, Hyatt Hotels Corporation acquired Two Roads Hospitality and for the hefty price tag of $2.7 billion, Accor bought FRHI, owner of the Fairmont, Raffles and Swissotel brands.
If Accor and InterContinental Hotels Group do merge as reports predict, it will create the world’s largest hotel group. The company will have 11,000 hotels and 1.6 million rooms with a reported market value of $2.3 billion. A combined company would also share some 50 brands between them, from Accor’s Sofitel, Raffles and Fairmont flagships to IHG’s Intercontinental, Kimpton and Six Senses, among many others.
This will push it ahead of Marriott International, which had close to 1.4 million rooms at the end of last year.
These are interesting times for the entire industry and we all need to buckle our seatbelts and get ready for a bumpy ride.
Stories about future travel can be accessed at #AmazingDaysAhead.
