PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti and
BETHESDA, Md., Dec. 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Digicel and
Marriott International (NYSE: MAR) today broke ground on the
$45 million 175-room Marriott Hotels
& Resorts brand hotel in the Turgeau area of Port-au-Prince, with opening expected in early
2015, making it the first four-star branded hotel in Haiti.
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121219/PH32583
)
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090217/MARRIOTTINTLLOGO
)
At a ceremony to mark the occasion, Marriott International's
President and Chief Executive Officer Arne
Sorensen was joined by Digicel Chairman and Founder Denis
O'Brien as well as the Minister of Tourism Stephanie Balmir Villedrouin.
Digicel Group is responsible for designing and building the
hotel and chose Marriott International's signature Marriott Hotels
& Resorts brand as its operating partner under a long-term
management agreement. In addition to creating over 200 new
hospitality jobs in Haiti,
Marriott will invest in workforce training to benefit the country's
tourism sector.
Kier is the main contractor chosen for the hotel project and
Turgeau Developments SA is the operating company, in which Digicel
is the investment partner.
The hotel sets a new standard of excellence for the growing
number of business travelers coming to Haiti, combining a friendly, professional and
safe environment and offering the exceptional service that Marriott
International offers worldwide in all of its properties. The hotel
is especially suitable for business meetings, conferences and
events and will feature the most up-to-date facilities in the city.
The ballroom will comfortably accommodate around 380 people for
dining and around 500 theatre-style.
The 175-room Marriott Hotel Port-au-Prince will include five
suites, a casual restaurant with private dining area, fitness
center, swimming pool and a great room lobby that inspires
creativity, productivity and social interaction with its
conveniently dispersed zones including a bar and lounge. The
property will also have a gift shop and marketplace and will offer
guests 24 hour room service, WiFi and secure parking.
Digicel Group and its Chairman, Denis O'Brien, are committed to
attracting foreign direct investment to Haiti and to helping the country rebuild in
the wake of the January 2010
earthquake. Mr. O'Brien is Founder and Patron of the Digicel
Foundation which to date has constructed 100 schools in
Haiti. Further, as the Chairman of
the Clinton Global Initiative's Haiti Action Network, Mr. O'Brien
has been instrumental in driving the activity of 80 support
organizations in Haiti to deliver
on their commitments and in reconstructing the iconic Iron Market
in Port-au-Prince.
Marriott International meanwhile aspires to have a signature
hotel in every major capital city in the countries where it
operates while being instrumental in stimulating business and
attracting leisure visitors to Haiti. Marriott took on this project with
particular reference to its thousands of Haitian associates who
work in its U.S. hotels and urged the company to do what it did
best and open a hotel in Haiti.
Marriott will also use the Port-au-Prince location as a center for hotel
training for local staff, helping to ensure that international
standards of excellence are met and maintained.
Commenting on the project, Digicel Chairman Denis O'Brien, said;
"We're delighted to be helping to bring the world-leading Marriott
Hotels & Resorts brand to Haiti. Not only will this be a
solution to the lodging issues in the city, it will also create
jobs, attract foreign visitors and communicate a positive outlook
for the future of Haiti.
Haiti is a great place to invest
and do business and I encourage others to take a look at the
opportunities here."
"We saw the need for a leading hotel brand in Haiti to accommodate the wave of travelers
coming to do business in the country," said Arne Sorenson, President and Chief Executive
Officer at Marriott International. "We believe we can make a
difference in Haiti by creating
jobs and developing the human talent that can help lift this
country over time back to its rightful place as one of the top
destinations in the Caribbean. We
are working with the Ministers of Tourism and Vocational Education
on how we can support existing institutions to raise the quality of
hospitality training."
Prime Minister of Haiti,
Laurent Lamothe, commented; "The
presence of the world-leading Marriott Hotels & Resorts brand
in Haiti is another clear
indicator that Haiti is serious
about attracting foreign direct investment. I would like to commend
both Marriott International and Digicel Group on their tireless
commitment to Haiti and on making
their vision a reality. This is a huge vote of confidence in the
future of Haiti and I look forward
to the Marriott Hotel Port-au-Prince opening its doors in
2015."
Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR) is a leading lodging
company based in Bethesda,
Maryland, USA with more than 3,700 properties in 74
countries and territories and reported revenues of over
$12 billion in fiscal year
2011. The company operates and franchises hotels and licenses
vacation ownership resorts under 18 brands. There are approximately
300,000 associates at headquarters, managed and franchised
properties. Marriott is consistently recognized as a top
employer and for its superior business operations, which it
conducts based on five core values: put people first, pursue
excellence, embrace change, act with integrity, and serve our
world. For more information or reservations, please visit our
website at www.marriott.com, and for the latest company news, visit
www.marriottnewscenter.com.
About Marriott Hotels & Resorts
Marriott Hotels
& Resorts continues to inspire and provide a balanced life on
the road for discerning and high-achieving business and leisure
travelers, offering warm, professional service; sophisticated yet
functional guest room design; lobby spaces that facilitate working,
dining and socializing; restaurants and bars serving international
cuisine prepared simply and from the freshest ingredients; meeting
and event spaces and services that are gold standard; and
expansive, 24-hour fitness facilities. All Marriott hotels
participate in the award winning Marriott Rewards frequent travel
program that allows members to earn hotel points or airline miles
for every dollar spent during each stay. For more information,
visit www.MarriottHotels.com.
About Digicel Group
After 11 years of operation,
Digicel Group Limited has over 12.9 million customers across its 30
markets in the Caribbean,
Central America and the Pacific.
The company is renowned for delivering best value, best service and
best network.
Digicel is the lead sponsor of Caribbean, Central American and Pacific sports
teams, including the Special Olympics teams throughout these
regions. Digicel sponsors the West Indies cricket team and is also
the title sponsor of the Digicel Caribbean Cup. In the Pacific,
Digicel is the proud sponsor of several national rugby teams and
also sponsors the Vanuatu cricket
team.
Digicel also runs a host of community-based initiatives across
its markets and has set up Digicel Foundations in Jamaica, Haiti and Papua New
Guinea which focus on educational, cultural and social
development programmes.
Digicel is incorporated in Bermuda and its markets comprise: Anguilla, Antigua
& Barbuda, Aruba,
Barbados, Bermuda, Bonaire, the British
Virgin Islands, the Cayman
Islands, Curacao,
Dominica, El Salvador, Fiji, French
Guiana, Grenada,
Guadeloupe, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique, Nauru, Panama, Papua New
Guinea, Samoa, St Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, Tonga, Trinidad
& Tobago, Turks & Caicos and Vanuatu. Digicel also has coverage in
St. Martin and St. Barts in the
Caribbean.
Visit www.digicelgroup.com for more information.
SOURCE Marriott International, Inc.