Marriott International Launches All-Inclusive Platform

Fresh off the heels of launching its home rental business nationwide, Marriott, the world's largest hotel chain, is targeting another segment of the leisure travel market: all-inclusive resorts. On Monday, August 5, 2019, it announced the launching of an all-inclusive platform to serve this increasingly popular vacation segment.

A rendering of Nia, the planned all-inclusive destination with four Marriott International brands including The Ritz-Carlton and Westin Hotels. It is set to rise in Riviera Nayarit on Mexico’s West coast.

Marriott is poised to grow in the all-inclusive segment by leveraging its Marriott Bonvoy travel program and iconic brands including The Ritz-Carlton and Westin Hotels & Resorts

“Our new all-inclusive resort platform is a natural progression for Marriott International,” said Tony Capuano, Marriott International’s Executive Vice President and Global Chief Development Officer. “It will provide the ownership community a game-changing value proposition for their luxury and premium resort projects around the world, while providing guests a new vacation option with brands they trust.”

Marriott International’s newly signed management contracts are expected to deliver five all-inclusive properties in the Caribbean and Latin America that, combined, would offer more than 2,000 rooms which costs more than $800 million. The planned resorts include:

– Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

650-room Autograph Collection resort (2022 anticipated opening)

– NIA, Riviera Nayarit, Mexico

240-room The Ritz-Carlton resort (2023 anticipated opening)

400-room Westin Hotels resort (2023 anticipated opening)

300-room Autograph Collection resort (2025 anticipated opening)

500-room Marriott Hotels resort (2025 anticipated opening)

Mexico City-based Artha Capital, a leading private equity firm and real estate developer, plans to create NIA, a flagship, all-inclusive destination to feature four of Marriott International’s premium and luxury brand experiences in Riviera Nayarit. The project is slated to rise on 220 tropical acres along the Pacific Coast.

“The diversity and global nature of our brands give guests the opportunity to find the perfect match for nearly any travel experience or destination,” said Tina Edmundson, Global Brand Officer for Marriott International. “By expanding our portfolio with this new offering, we are opening up a new way for travelers to explore our incredible brands – from Westin to W – through a new, all-inclusive lens.”

Marriott International’s all-inclusive resorts will offer a variety of amenities, culinary options and experiences for all ages, and tailored for each brand. For adults, all-inclusive amenities may include fitness and spa facilities, reservation-free dining at gourmet restaurants, adult-only pools with swim-up bars, 24-hour room service, on-premises nightclubs and unlimited premium beverage programs. Family oriented resorts may offer options such as water sports and other sport activities, innovative children’s and teen clubs, and multiple entertainment venues.

But Marriott will begin selling an all-inclusive offering even before those hotels open. The huge hotel company, which now has over 30 brands, will begin offering an all-inclusive experience at some of its existing upscale and luxury-branded properties, including Ritz-Carlton, Luxury Collection, Marriott Hotels, Westin Hotels, W Hotels, Autograph Collection and Delta by Marriott.

The offerings will target different traveler groups; “All-inclusive resorts bearing the Marriott Hotels brand, for instance, would cater primarily to families, while resorts bearing the W Hotels brand would cater to adults,” according to a Marriott release.

Marriott first dipped its toe into the all-inclusive when it acquired Starwood Hotels & Resorts in 2016, assuming operations of the 406-room Westin Golf Resort & Spa, Playa Conchal in Costa Rica.

The Bethesda hotelier has focused more on the leisure travel market, especially the high-end space, in the past year. Marriott piloted and then launched worldwide a home rental competitor to home-sharing platforms like AirBnb and VRBO, where it is offering mostly high-end homes in luxury settings for rent.