Marriott International Celebrates 50 Years as A Hospitality Leader in Europe, Middle East & Africa

Hospitality Net

5 days ago

Marriott International, Inc. today celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Amsterdam Marriott Hotel, the company's first hotel in Europe and outside of North America.
From a single Marriott Hotel in 1975, the company has grown tremendously in the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region over the past 50 years. Today, Marriott has over 1,300 properties, 29 distinct brands, and a presence in 80 countries and territories across the region.
Opened by J.W. Marriott, Jr., the company's then Chief Executive Officer who now serves as Chairman Emeritus, the Amsterdam Marriott Hotel debuted in Europe, boasting an unparalleled city center location. At the time of its construction, it was the city's largest hotel with 396 rooms.
Throughout its 50 years of operation, the hotel has remained true to its core values. With a blend of classic hospitality, strategic innovation, and a dedicated, close-knit team, the hotel has continued to be a reliable presence in an ever-changing city. Dozens of staff have remained with the hotel over the decades, some for 45 years, and the hotel has produced many future leaders for the company.
In a celebration of heritage and progress, the hotel marked its milestone anniversary with an event themed "A Journey Through Time." The evening brought together the past, present, and future, as over 150 guests—including former and current associates—gathered to honor the hotel's legacy with David Marriott, Chairman of the Board at Marriott International, and Satya Anand, President of Marriott International, EMEA in attendance.
Fifty years ago, my dad attended the opening of this beautiful property, marking a historic milestone for Marriott, as we expanded beyond North America for the first time since our founding in 1927. It is an honor for me to be present as we celebrate this milestone anniversary, and I'm so proud of the team for their enduring commitment to service excellence. David Marriott, Chairman of the Board, Marriott International
Fueled by the success of the Amsterdam Marriott Hotel, Marriott rapidly expanded its portfolio across the region, first in Europe and then across the Middle East & Africa. The last five decades have seen many firsts for Marriott in EMEA, including:
1975: Brand debut and opening of Amsterdam Marriott Hotel , Marriott's first hotel in Europe and outside of North America.
, Marriott's first hotel in Europe and outside of North America. 1980: Opening of Riyadh Marriott Hotel in Saudi Arabia, Marriott's first hotel in the Middle East.
in Saudi Arabia, Marriott's first hotel in the Middle East. 1981: Opening of Cairo Marriott, Marriott's first hotel in Africa.
Marriott's first hotel in Africa. 1985: Opening of London Marriott Hotel Grosvenor Square , Marriott's first hotel in London.
, Marriott's first hotel in London. 1993: Opening of JW Marriott Hotel Dubai, Marriott's first hotel in Dubai.
Marriott's first hotel in Dubai. 1998: Opening of Hamburg Marriott Hotel , Marriott's first hotel in Germany.
, Marriott's first hotel in Germany. 2014: Brand debut and opening of Moxy Milan , the first Moxy Hotel to open in the world.
, the first Moxy Hotel to open in the world. 2016: Opening of Kigali Marriott Hotel in Rwanda , Marriott's first hotel in sub-Saharan Africa.
, Marriott's first hotel in sub-Saharan Africa. 2023: Brand debut and opening of Four Points Flex by Sheraton Bursa Nilüfer in Türkiye.
in Türkiye. 2024: Opening and brand debut in Europe of Fairfield by Marriott Copenhagen Nordhavn.
Our growth across the region all started 50 years ago with the opening of Amsterdam Marriott Hotel, our first flagship hotel in Europe. We now have a fantastic portfolio of over 1,300 hotels, resorts, residences and lodges in 80 countries and territories across EMEA, stretching from Tromsø in Norway to Cape Town in South Africa. We look forward to continuing to build our presence across the region, offering our guests and members even more travel experiences and accommodation options for every trip purpose. Satya Anand, President of Marriott International EMEA
As of Q1 2025, Marriott's pipeline for the EMEA region grew to 583 hotels, representing over 100,000 rooms.
About Marriott International
Marriott International, Inc. (Nasdaq: MAR) is based in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, and encompasses a portfolio of nearly 9,100 properties across more than 30 leading brands in 142 countries and territories. Marriott operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts all around the world. The company offers Marriott Bonvoy®, its highly awarded travel program. For more information, please visit our website at www.marriott.com. In addition, connect with us on Facebook and @MarriottIntl on X and Instagram.
About Marriott Bonvoy
Marriott Bonvoy, Marriott International's award-winning travel programme and marketplace, gives members access to transformative, eye-opening experiences around the corner and across the globe. Marriott Bonvoy's portfolio of 31 extraordinary brands offers renowned hospitality in the most memorable destinations in the world. Members can earn points for stays at hotels and resorts, including all-inclusive resorts and premium home rentals, as well as through everyday purchases with co-branded credit cards. Members can redeem their points for experiences including future stays, Marriott Bonvoy Moments™, or through partners for luxurious products from Marriott Bonvoy Boutiques®. With the Marriott Bonvoy app, members enjoy a level of personalisation and contactless experience that allows them to travel with peace of mind. To enrol for free or for more information about Marriott Bonvoy, visit marriottbonvoy.com. To download the Marriott app, go here. Travelers can also connect with Marriott Bonvoy on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.