MARRIOTT RANKS AS TOP TEN FRANCHISE

Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE:MAR) announced that Franchise Times magazine ranked Marriott Hotels, Resorts and Suites eighth out of the world’s top 200 franchise systems. Marriott Hotels, Resorts and Suites is the only hotel brand to make the top ten list in the magazine’s annual franchise report. In addition, Marriott had four other hotel brands in the top 100, including Courtyard, Renaissance, Residence Inn and Fairfield Inn.

Companies were judged on financial size and number of units. Marriott International, Inc. has more than 2,000 hotels worldwide, including more than 1,000 franchised hotels under the Marriott, Renaissance, Residence Inn, Courtyard, Towne Place Suites, Fairfield Inn, Spring Hill Suites and Ramada International brand names. Marriott plans to manage or franchise a hotel in every gateway city in the world within the next five years. The company’s goal is to reach 2,600 hotels and over 480,000 rooms by 2003.