Marriott unveils new brand ‘Series by Marriott’; Partners with Concept Hospitality
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Signs founding deal with Concept Hospitality in India to affiliate The Fern brands with Series by Marriott.
Marriott International has announced the global launch of its newest collection brand, Series by Marriott™, designed for the midscale and upscale lodging segments. The new brand marks a strategic expansion of Marriott’s global portfolio, aiming to bring regionally established hotel brands, into the Marriott Bonvoy ecosystem.
Series by Marriott makes its debut with a landmark agreement in India, partnering with Concept Hospitality Private Limited (CHPL). Under the strategic agreement between CHPL and Marriott, CHPL's flagship brands - The Fern, The Fern Residency, and The Fern Habitat - will affiliate with Series by Marriott on an exclusive basis across India and Marriott will make a small equity investment in CHPL.
Sharing insights on the strategic alliance, Rajeev Menon, President, Asia Pacific (excluding China), Marriott International, said, “Today’s signing reaffirms our commitment to India - one of the most dynamic and promising markets globally. Marriott currently operates 158 hotels across the country, with another 112 in the pipeline. The Fern portfolio, with its 84 operational hotels and 31 under development, totalling 115 properties and nearly 8,000 rooms.”
He further added that over the next few months, Fern properties are expected to join into the Marriott portfolio. As India moves toward becoming the world’s third-largest economy and its middle class continues to expand, the goal is clear: to scale up the growth of Fern Brand affiliated with series by Marriott across the country.While the properties will align with Marriott’s global standards, Concept Hospitality will continue to manage them under the Fern name.
Menon also noted that with this move, Series by Marriott is set to strengthen its footprint in rapidly growing tier 2 and tier 3 cities and other emerging destinations that are fast transforming into key hubs for tourism, business, and culture.
Further sharing more on CG Corp Global side, Dr. Binod Chaudhary, Chairman added, "While Indian hospitality brands have ventured abroad to manage properties, the scale at which we envision Fern, under the Marriott series, globally can be on an entirely different level.
“This collaboration fills a significant gap in the brand segmentation space, not just in India, but potentially in many parts of the world. The ‘by Marriott’ affiliation offers Fern a distinctive identity and a solid foundation for accelerated growth”, stated Chaudhary. He concluded noting, “What you’ll witness is a new avatar of Fern, not just in terms of product and service, but in the enhanced value proposition we aim to deliver.”
“We are thrilled to partner with the world's largest hospitality company in driving a new era of growth in India’s midscale segment. 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,” said Param Kannampilly, Chairman, Concept Hospitality Private Limited.
Series by Marriott will provide regional owners access to the benefits of Marriott’s platforms, including Marriott Bonvoy loyalty programme, all while maintaining their portfolio’s independent identity.