Brian King, Vice President and Global Brand Manager of Courtyard by Marriott
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1. Courtyard by Marriott is positioned in the upper-midscale section of the market. How do you believe Courtyard, and this mid-range segment in general, will fare given the current economic uncertainty and its affect on travel?
Courtyard has a great presence in many key markets. These are high-quality hotels in the top of their tier. They offer exceptional accommodations at a terrific value. The brand has always commanded a premium over other upper-moderate-tier competitors.
The current economic environment is challenging for everyone right now, but we are confident that Courtyard will remain strong. The upper-midscale market has shown tremendous growth over the past decade. While this may slow for the segment in the near term, we believe the segment, and Courtyard specifically, is remarkably resilient. We expect to outperform our competition and plan to open more than 200 additional Courtyard hotels over the next three years.
2. India is evidently a huge part of Courtyard’s expansion plans, with 6 hotels opening this year. With India’s notorious supply shortage of globally branded hotels, will Courtyard continue to position itself in the upper-midscale segment, and how well do you believe this will translate to the Indian market?
Courtyard already competes with full service hotels for many customers. As the brand adapts and evolves to meet the needs of the ever-changing customer, Courtyard is becoming more flexible and more appealing to a broader set of guests. In growing markets such as India, with its rising middle class, Courtyard will be well-positioned to take advantage of this new traveller base. We are very optimistic that the Indian market will be a huge growth opportunity for Courtyard.
3. You have recently opened two new Courtyards in Phuket, Thailand, at a difficult time for the country. Are you confident that Thailand will recover from its recent troubles, and what further plans do you have for this market?
Thailand has proven to be a phenomenal market for the Courtyard brand to grow. The brand has thrived in Bangkok, and many of the design concepts applied at the Courtyard Bangkok have been incorporated into the brand’s new design aesthetics in other countries. With our expansion into Phuket, Courtyard is forging new territory with our first leisure-oriented hotels. These hotels feature not only the great accommodations our guests have come to expect, but unique features like pool bars and children’s area called Kids World. Courtyard embraces the service-oriented culture of Thailand and sees a great opportunity to increase market share in this region.
4. Given the changing needs and priorities of today’s business traveler, what does Courtyard offer to attract this sector?
Key to all Courtyard hotels globally are its tastefully appointed guest rooms which tend to be larger than similar accommodations offered in its category.
Courtyard lobbies are contemporary, open and stylish. Colorful, bright and welcoming spaces – such as an area where guests can check e-mail – allow for multipurpose use throughout the day. Meeting rooms, swimming pools, whirlpools and exercise rooms are available at most locations.
Recognizing that guests’ needs vary by country, however, Courtyard has redefined the upper moderate lodging tier by building on its core heritage – understanding the needs of business travellers – and adapting this understanding to regional customs.
5. What further developments are we likely to see from Courtyard by Marriott in the next 12 months?
As mentioned above, Courtyard expects to open more than 200 additional Courtyard hotels worldwide over the next three years. Over the next 12 months in North America, where we have over 750 hotels, we are focused on a large-scale overhaul of our lobbies and public spaces. Outside of North America, we are continuing to expand at a fast pace, with approximately 20 hotels opening in China, Dubai, England, Ecuador, France, India, Panama, South Korea, Suriname and Turkey in the next 12 months, just to name a few.
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