Courtyard by Marriott Expects To Accelerate European Expansion With Plans To Open Nearly 30 Hotels By The End Of 2020

- In addition to strengthening its portfolio in the established markets of Germany, France and the UK, Courtyard is continuing its first-to-market approach with anticipated debuts in seven emerging destinations including Armenia, Finland, and Iceland. This growth announcement is enhanced by two new flagship properties in the dynamic destinations of Paris and Hamburg. Courtyard Paris Gare de Lyon opened in October while the Courtyard Hamburg City is scheduled to open in Spring 2019. In addition to these two openings, Courtyard by Marriott expects to continue to grow its robust pipeline in Europe over the next two years: John Licence, Vice President of Premium and Select Brands at Marriott International, Europe, said: "Our guests are passionate, hard-working and success-driven. As such, Courtyard by Marriott has adapted its growth strategy to offer more choices in new and convenient business hubs, combining innovative technology with style and comfort to meet the demands of the next generation of global business travellers." The accelerated growth of the brand is largely driven by franchise partners who recognise Courtyard as a dependable and proven product that offers quick entry to market, access to world-class global sales platforms and the backing of Marriott International's industry leading loyalty programmes. "On one hand, owners see the brand continuing to evolve to meet the generational shift in how our guests work and travel today," said Carlton Ervin, Chief Development Officer at Marriott International, Europe. "On the other, they know they can count on our Europe-based development teams and in-house expertise in areas such as special planning, design efficiency and construction costing. This winning combination allows us to collaborate on new, adaptive re-use and conversion opportunities whilst still achieving speed-to-market." In early 2018, Courtyard announced a multi-year partnership with FC Bayern and became the official hotel partner for Germany's most popular and successful football club. The partnership now gives the 120 million members of Marriott's loyalty programmes – Marriott Rewards, The Ritz-Carlton Rewards, and Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) – access to once-in-a-lifetime football experiences through Marriott Rewards Moments and SPG Moments. Experiences include access to a custom-built executive box offering fantastic views of the pitch in the world-renowned Allianz Arena. Courtyard by Marriott has been a leader in the select service category for over 30 years and today welcomes travellers in more than 1100 locations in over 50 countries and territories around the world. For more information, please visit: https://courtyard.marriott.com/ Note on Forward-Looking Statements: This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of federal securities laws, including the number of lodging properties the company may add in this and future years and similar statements concerning possible future events or expectations that are not historical facts.  We caution you that these statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including changes in market conditions; changes in global and regional economies; supply and demand changes for hotel rooms; competitive conditions in the lodging industry; relationships with clients and property owners; the availability of capital to finance hotel growth and refurbishment; and other risk factors that the company identifies in its most recent annual report on Form 10-K or quarterly report on Form 10-Q; any of which could cause actual results to differ materially from the expectations we express or imply here.  We make these statements as of the date of this press release, and we assume no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. About Courtyard by Marriott Courtyard by Marriott offers a refreshing environment that helps guests stay connected, productive and balanced. Intuitive services and design accommodate guests' needs for choice and control. With more than 1,100 locations in over 50 countries and territories, Courtyard is proud to participate in the industry's award-winning loyalty program, Marriott Rewards® which includes The Ritz-Carlton Rewards®. Members can now link accounts with Starwood Preferred Guest® at members.marriott.com for instant elite status matching and unlimited points transfer. For more information or reservations, visit courtyard.marriott.com, become a fan on Facebook or follow @CourtyardHotels on Twitter and Instagram.    About Marriott International, Inc.Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) is based in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, and encompasses a portfolio of more than 6,700 properties in 30 leading hotel brands spanning 129 countries and territories. Marriott operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts all around the world. The company also operates award-winning loyalty programs: Marriott Rewards®, which includes The Ritz-Carlton Rewards®, and Starwood Preferred Guest®. For more information, please visit our website at www.marriott.com, and for the latest company news, visit www.marriottnewscenter.com. In addition, connect with us on Facebook and @MarriottIntl on Twitter and Instagram. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/790973/Courtyard_by_Marriott_Europe_growth_by_2020.jpg