Marriott Signs Hotel in Haiti

Marriott is to open a $45 million, 173-room Port-au-Prince Marriott Hotel, under a management agreement with ownership group Unigestion Holding S.A., a subsidiary of Digicel Group Ltd.

 In addition to creating 175 new jobs, Marriott has also said it will invest in hospitality training to benefit Haiti's tourism sector.

Digicel Group is responsible for designing and building the hotel and has chosen Marriott International’s flagship Marriott Hotels & Resorts brand as its operating partner under long-term management agreement. Construction on the property is expected to begin in 2012, with opening expected in mid-2014.

With roughly 500 hotel rooms operating in the city, the Port-au-Prince Marriott will add 173 rooms to the capital city and create much needed lodging and meeting space for business travelers seeking to invest in the country, non-government organizations (NGOs), humanitarian organizations, reconstruction teams, financial institutions and visitors to the capital.

Port-au-Prince is located in the southern part of the country on the Gulf of Gonave and is home to approximately 20% of the country’s population.

The Clinton Foundation has worked closely with Marriott and Digicel to develop this project. The Foundation connected Marriott and Digicel knowing their mutual interests in the hotel sector, visited proposed construction sites with the parties and facilitated introductions to the Haitian government and the Haitian Tourism Association.

"This new hotel project will stand as a symbol of Haiti’s recovery, providing much needed jobs to the Haitian people and encouraging foreigners to visit, invest and work in Port-au-Prince," said President Clinton. "My Foundation has worked with both Marriott and Digicel, and encouraged them to form this partnership. Their investment proves that Haiti is open for business and on the path to economic recovery."

The Port-au-Prince Marriott, which will be located in the Haute Turgeau area of the city, will offer 168 rooms and five suites with Marriott’s signature amenities and features, including premium bedding, high-speed Internet (LAN and wireless) and flat-screen televisions. Dining options will include a casual restaurant, a lobby bar and lounge and 24-hour room service. The hotel will include about 428 square meters (4,606 square feet) of flexible meeting space, a 150-square-meter (1,614-square-foot) fitness center, swimming pool, and sundries shop/marketplace.

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