Marriott CEO Anthony Capuano is simultaneously overhauling how the company’s hotels operate, pursuing new market segments, and transforming its loyalty program — all while trying to persuade travelers to plan trips on Marriott’s site and app rather than through search engines or AI tools.
The strategy, which Capuano discussed with Skift at the Americas Lodging Investment Summit in Los Angeles, reflects the pressures facing hotel companies as they compete for consumer attention.
Here are the eight biggest shifts at Marriott since Capuano became CEO in February 2021.
1. Trying to Fix Hotel Economics
One of the most discussed topics inside Marriott, Capuano said, is the gap between the company’s success and the financial reality facing hotel operators.
“The returns that an owner would have achieved on a new construction hotel a decade ago have been diluted,” Capuano said. “The appeal and the returns of a hotel investment aren’t what they we