PUNTA CANA, Dominican Republic -- Marriott International plans to invest heavily in the Caribbean and Latin America by almost doubling its footprint to 1,000 properties by 2030.
The company currently operates 561 hotels and resorts in the region.
That planned growth will emphasize luxury, particularly by building more Ritz-Carlton Reserves, such as the recently opened Sairi resort in Mexico's Riviera Nayarit and Nekajui in Costa Rica.
Creating demand for something new
The area is "very rich and diverse, and it's where our growth in luxury is meaningful, and it's very well planned," Martin Castano, the company's vice president of sales and distribution for the region, told nearly 50 travel advisors at the company's second annual Discover CALA Travel Summit here.
Not all the company's growth in the region is to meet current demand, he said. Marriott instead plans to stimulate it in destinations "where maybe there's nothing yet over there," he said. Think of a secluded beach on the coast of Mexico, far from the cities.
The growth plan is part of a two-fold strategy. Not only does the company plan to open new, luxury properties over the next few years, but it also plans to make more of them all-inclusive, executives said.
Castano said he was confident that the company can attract travelers to hotels and resorts in lesser-known destinations. With 300 million Marriott Bonvoy members, 12 million live in Latin America; others are loyalists are eager for something new, he said.
"We can give the customer experiences that today don't exist," Castano said.
Travel advisors at the summit said they see value in the strategy, as it offers their clients more options and new experiences, especially for those who tire of visiting the same places or want to veer off the beaten path.
"There's only so many times you can visit the same destination, right?" said Leah Airgis, an advisor with World of Luxury Travel in La Jolla, Calif. Offering new properties "a little bit more off-the-beaten-path especially appeals to the seasoned traveler who's already done Los Cabos, for example, several times.'
Other properties will be in well-known places. For example, the company is opening a St. Regis Costa Mujeres Resort in July and is working on opening The Ritz-Carlton in San Juan.
All-in on all-inclusives
Marriott International is "very serious" about delivering an all-inclusive experience, even if it took the company a while to get there, Castano said from the breezy outdoor lobby of the W Punta Cana, which opened in 2025 as the W's first all-inclusive.
The company wanted to avoid offering "cookie-cutter" all-inclusive products like others in the market, Castano said, citing stigma around large buffets and impersonal service.
The intent is to blend the personalized, unique experience of luxury with the benefits of an all-inclusive. For instance, guests have options of various restaurants and high-touch service while their food and beverage needs are covered.
At least 13 properties are in line to become all-inclusive resorts over the next 4 years. Next is the JW Costa Elena in Costa Rica, opening this fall. Down the line in 2028 is the Ritz-Carlton All-Inclusive Yanuna, Punta Cana.
Others include The Luxury Collection in Punta Cana, JW Marriott in Rio de Janeiro and properties in the Tribute Portfolio, Autograph Collection, Westin and Marriott folds.
Boston-based Robin Hutson, of Luxe Recess, can envision her luxury clients willing to try a luxury all-inclusive product from Ritz-Carlton, much like they were curious to try cruising for the first time with The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection. The strategy to make a luxury property all-inclusive would introduce Ritz-Carlton loyalists to an all-inclusive product who normally wouldn't consider it she said.
Investing in the Caribbean and Latin America region makes sense to Vikram Seshadri, a luxury travel advisor and founder of In Residence, a Coastline affiliate in the San Francisco area.
"We're definitely seeing more demand for Central America and the Caribbean right now," he said. "It feels closer, more predictable and a bit easier for clients given higher fuel costs and all the geopolitical uncertainty."