J.W. Marriott, Jr.
Executive Chairman and Chairman of the Board
There are so many ways to Find Your World at Marriott International. Our more than 3,900 hotels in more than 70 countries provide the stage for you to close that important business deal, take your loved ones on a beach vacation, or explore new destinations on a journey of personal discovery. For our guests and approximately 325,000 associates at headquarters and our managed and franchised hotels, we are working hard to help you meet your goals, whether it’s creating lasting memories or building on life’s successes.
I am so proud of our company. Something I’ve noticed even more in my role as Executive Chairman is that Marriott’s history and culture are the foundation for our future. Our stakeholders recognize this, too.
I am confident we’ll continue our success and come even closer to realizing our vision of being the best lodging company in the world. In 2013, our strategy delivered great results. We grew our portfolio, and had more hotels in the pipeline than any time in Marriott’s history. Our leadership teams created new opportunities for growth across the globe, from opening one of every five new rooms in the U.S. and setting us up for growth in Africa, to accelerating our growth in Asia and creating and launching new brands in Europe. We’ve also designed new hotels for our Indian and Brazilian guests, and our lifestyle and luxury brands are industry leaders. Look to the Autograph Collection® and EDITION® brands for the trendiest hotels in our portfolio, and we’re designing new ways for our flagship brand, Marriott Hotels®, to capture the next generation of travelers.
We also know that people care who they do business with—they want to know it’s someone who shares their values and takes action on important global issues they care about. For our part, we take pride in making investments in the communities where we do business. For example, we’re offering a “World of Opportunity” for unemployed youth so they can receive the education and skills they need in today’s economy. We’re also working with small and growing companies we do business with, especially women-owned enterprises in emerging markets around the world. Finally, we’re protecting our natural resources both in our hotels and far beyond, from the Amazon rainforest to Thailand’s mangroves to the fresh water of China’s mighty rivers.
At Marriott, one of our core values is to support our associates, who are our strongest link to our customers. I’m proud that we were again named as one of the best places to work in surveys all over the world, from Fortune® to Working Mother to the World’s Best Multinational Workplaces by Great Place to Work®, and to once again be among Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Companies.
We invite you to Find Your World with us. Wherever your journeys take you, we’ll be there to welcome you at one of our many exciting brands around the world. Wishing you great travels!
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