Marriott began franchising hotels in 1967. The move allowed the company to expand its lodging brands beyond properties owned or directly operated by Marriott.
Marriott’s hospitality business began with J. Willard and Alice Marriott’s root beer stand in Washington, D.C., in 1927. The company later entered the hotel industry, opening its first hotel in Arlington, Virginia, in 1957.
The 1967 franchising milestone is different from the opening date of Marriott’s first hotel. Franchising concerns the business arrangement under which independent owners operate using Marriott branding, standards, reservations, and support.
Marriott subsequently built a portfolio that included brands at several price levels. Its growth also involved management contracts, licensing, acquisitions, and ownership structures, so not every Marriott-branded property is necessarily owned by Marriott itself.