Marriott International launches its new soft brand for the midscale and upscale lodging segments, Series by Marriott. Marriott is debuting this new brand in India. With the launch, the company has signed a foundational agreement with hotel management firm Concept Hospitality, known for its environment-focused Fern brand.
Series by Marriott is recruiting well-established, regionally-created brands that "provide regional owners access to the benefits of Marriott's platforms while maintaining their portfolio's independent identity," according to the company.
"Series by Marriott furthers Marriott's commitment to delivering lodging offerings in the right place at the right price with basics done well," Anthony Capuano, president and CEO of Marriott International, said in a statement. "Creating a new, regional collection brand will further Marriott's reach among value-conscious travelers, provide additional choice for our existing Marriott Bonvoy members and guests, and offer more affiliation opportunities for local owners.
Marriott is making a small equity investment in the first to join the collection – India’s Concept Hospitality Private Ltd.’s Fern brands with 84 hotels open and 31 in the pipeline. Established in 1996 by Param Kannampilly, CHPL is a management company with six brands and over 100 hotels operating in 90 locations. The Fern, The Fern Residency and The Fern Habitat brands will affiliate with Series by Marriott on an exclusive basis across India. The hotels with some 8,000 rooms are expected to join Marriott’s portfolio in India over time following discussions with the third-party hotel owners and execution of long-term franchise agreements with those owners. CG Hospitality, the hospitality division of the multi-national conglomerate CG Corp Global, is the majority stakeholder in CHPL.
"We are thrilled to launch Series by Marriott through our founding deal with CHPL," Capuano continued. "This deal will help meaningfully expand Marriott's leading position in India, a key market for the company. We see this multi-unit conversion deal as a strong foundation as we look to accelerate growth of the Series by Marriott collection in additional markets around the world. The Fern portfolio throughout India is highly regarded and CHPL's commitment to operational excellence and meeting the needs of regional travelers embodies the spirit of the Series by Marriott brand."
"Through our majority stake in CHPL, we've nurtured The Fern brands as standard-bearers for eco-sensitive, high-quality hospitality in India," said Binod Chaudhary, chairman of CG Corp Global. "Being part of Series by Marriott will allow us to amplify our reach. The Fern brands are expected to benefit not only from the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program and global distribution systems, but also from strategic growth opportunities."
CHPL is thrilled to partner with the world's largest hospitality company in driving a new era of growth in India's midscale segment, Kannampilly said. "Our vision is to unlock the immense potential of Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, as well as lesser-known destinations across India that are rich in culture, heritage, and opportunity," This strategic collaboration underscores our commitment to expanding access to quality hospitality, fostering local economies, and meeting the rising demand for sustainable, comfortable, and accessible stays in emerging markets."
Marriott said it is also in active discussions about the Series by Marriott brand with owners in the United States, the Caribbean and Latin America, Europe, Middle East, and Africa.