Courtyard by Marriott expects to further grow its European footprint of 63 hotels by almost 50 per cent over the next two years.

With nearly 30 hotels anticipated to open in Europe by the end of 2020, Courtyard will offer business travellers a continually elevated experience that meets the generational shift in how our guests work and travel today.

In addition to strengthening its portfolio in the established markets of Germany, France and the UK, Courtyard is continuing its first-to-market approach with anticipated debuts in seven emerging destinations including Armenia, Finland, and Iceland

This growth announcement is enhanced by two new flagship properties in the dynamic destinations of Paris and Hamburg. Courtyard Paris Gare de Lyon opened in October while the Courtyard Hamburg City is scheduled to open in spring 2019.

John Licence, vice president of premium and select brands at Marriott International, Europe, said: “Our guests are passionate, hard-working and success-driven.

“As such, Courtyard by Marriott has adapted its growth strategy to offer more choices in new and convenient business hubs, combining innovative technology with style and comfort to meet the demands of the next generation of global business travellers.”

The accelerated growth of the brand is largely driven by franchise partners who recognise Courtyard as a dependable and proven product that offers quick entry to market, access to world-class global sales platforms and the backing of Marriott International’s industry leading loyalty programmes.

“On one hand, owners see the brand continuing to evolve to meet the generational shift in how our guests work and travel today,” said Carlton Ervin, chief development officer at Marriott International, Europe.

“On the other, they know they can count on our Europe-based development teams and in-house expertise in areas such as special planning, design efficiency and construction costing.

“This winning combination allows us to collaborate on new, adaptive re-use and conversion opportunities whilst still achieving speed-to-market.”

In early 2018, Courtyard announced a multi-year partnership with FC Bayern and became the official hotel partner for Germany’s most popular and successful football club.

The partnership now gives the 120 million members of Marriott’s loyalty programmes – Marriott Rewards, The Ritz-Carlton Rewards, and Starwood Preferred Guest – access to once-in-a-lifetime football experiences through Marriott Rewards Moments and SPG Moments.

Experiences include access to a custom-built executive box offering fantastic views of the pitch in the world-renowned Allianz Arena.

Courtyard by Marriott has been a leader in the select service category for over 30 years and today welcomes travellers in more than 1100 locations in over 50 countries and territories around the world.