Aspire: Andrea Thomas

Marriott International, Inc. is planning a significant expansion of its all-inclusive portfolio through a long-term agreement with Sunwing Travel Group’s hotel division, Blue Diamond Resorts, which has a portfolio of resort properties throughout the Caribbean, Central America and Mexico. The agreement is expected to propel Marriott into the list of top 10 global all-inclusive players by adding 19 franchised resorts totaling nearly 7,000 rooms across six destinations and more than doubling the company’s presence in the all-inclusive segment to 33 properties by 2025. The majority of the properties are expected to be converted into Marriott’s Autograph Collection by mid 2021.

“We are thrilled to work with Sunwing Travel Group and expand into two new leisure destinations – St. Lucia and Antigua,” said Tony Capuano, group president, global development, design and operations services for Marriott International. “Blue Diamond’s expertise in the all-inclusive segment and high-quality resorts will help ensure that these properties serve as excellent additions to the Marriott portfolio. Today’s signing is a testament to Marriott International’s scale and loyalty platform, and we look forward to providing travelers seeking an all-inclusive experience with more choices in the Caribbean and Latin America.”

Marriott International launched its multi-brand all-inclusive portfolio platform in August 2019 and has 9 open hotels across Costa Rica, Barbados and Mexico with an additional 5 hotels in the pipeline in Mexico, Curacao, Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Brazil. With today’s agreement, another 19 are expected to join the portfolio. The platform will provide the company’s 145 million Marriott Bonvoy members the option to earn and redeem points with the convenient, pay-one-price concept.

“We are excited to enter into this agreement with Marriott International, and introduce Blue Diamond Resorts’ portfolio of hotels, including Royalton and Planet Hollywood, to their Autograph Collection brand,” said Stephen Hunter, CEO of Sunwing Travel Group. “Our luxurious, award-winning hotels will benefit from Marriott’s world-renowned reputation and esteemed travel program, all while bolstering our mission to bring unparalleled vacation experiences to customers.”

The resorts anticipated to convert to the Autograph Collection are in Mexico, the 840-room Royalton Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa; the 343-room Hideaway at Royalton Riviera Cancun; the 566-room Planet Hollywood Beach Resort Cancun; the 332-room Planet Hollywood Adults Scene Cancun, and the 457-room Royalton CHIC Suites Cancun Resort & Spa. 

In the Dominican Republic, anticipated to convert are the 730-room Royalton Bavaro Resort & Spa; the 320-room Royalton CHIC Punta Cana Resort & Spa; the 525-room Royalton Splash Punta Cana Resort & Spa; the 317-room Royalton Punta Cana Resort & Casino and the 168-room Hideaway at Royalton Punta Cana. 

In Jamaica, anticipated to convert are the 352-room Royalton White Sands Montego Bay, the 228-room Royalton Blue Waters Montego Bay; the 140-room Hideaway at Royalton Negril; and the 407-room Royalton Negril Resort & Spa. 

In St. Lucia, anticipated to convert are the 290-room Royalton Saint Lucia Resort & Spa and the 166-room Hideaway at Royalton Saint Lucia.

In Antigua, the 294-room Royalton Antigua Resort & Spa and in Costa Rica the 294-room Planet Hollywood Beach Resort Costa Rica are both anticipated to convert.

Given growing demand for premium and luxury all-inclusive stays, Marriott International previously announced it would leverage eight of its 30 global brands in the all-inclusive category: The Ritz-Carlton, The Luxury Collection, Marriott Hotels, Westin Hotels, W Hotels, Autograph Collection, Tribute Portfolio and Delta Hotels by Marriott. This agreement reflects the addition of 19 resorts into Marriott International’s Autograph Collection, a curated collection of independent hotels selected for their perspectives on design and hospitality. Guests will be elevated to an all-inclusive leisure vacation experience with a design aesthetic, enriching programs and redesigned dining options, along with enhanced spa and wellness offerings.

All hotels in the Marriott portfolio are following Marriott International’s Commitment to Clean protocols created together with leading experts in food and water safety, hygiene and infection prevention and hotel operations. For more information, visit www.sunwingtravelgroup.com.