STAMFORD, Conn.—Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide expects to open at least 20 new Sheraton hotels by year’s end. Strong demand across Asia Pacific is driving future pipeline growth, putting Sheraton on track to cross the 500th hotel milestone in 2016. According to Hoyt Harper, global brand leader, Sheraton expects to open more than 50 hotels and enter another 14 countries by the end of 2018.
Sheraton will open more than one-third of its new hotels in Asia Pacific in 2015, driven by accelerating demand across China. This year, Sheraton will open its third hotel in Beijing, its fifth in Shanghai and debut in five new markets including Bengbu, Chuzhou, Zhanjiang, and Harbin. Meanwhile, the brand’s development pipeline in China includes another 33 hotels slated to open over the next four years.
Sheraton will expand its footprint in India with the debut of Sheraton Hyderabad Hotel in 2016 and another two hotels in development. The brand will also enter Sri Lanka with the opening of Sheraton Colombo Hotel in 2016 and will open its second hotel in Samoa this year.
Key openings in Europe this year include Sheraton Lake Como Hotel, the brand’s eighth in Italy. Sheraton will also enter Romania this year with the opening of Sheraton Bucharest. In addition, the brand will expand its portfolio in Croatia with the debut of Sheraton Dubrovnik Riviera, add one more hotel in Russia, and grow its portfolio in Turkey with the opening of its second hotel in Istanbul and its first in Samsun, which celebrated its soft launch early in the year.
Two openings in the Middle East will amplify the Sheraton brand’s presence in the region, where it has another five in the development pipeline. Meanwhile, the brand’s portfolio in the United Arab Emirates will increase to seven hotels by year’s end with the opening of Sheraton Sharjah Beach Resort & Spa.
In Africa, Sheraton Dakar Hotel is slated to open in 2016, marking the brand’s debut in Senegal. Another five Sheraton hotels are in development across in Africa in markets such as Mauritania, Rwanda, and South Sudan.
In 2015, Sheraton will open two new hotels in North America—Mesa, Ariz., and McKinney, Texas—and break ground in Georgetown, Texas. Moreover, several conversions are expected to be signed and opened in North America within the year.
In Latin America, the upcoming opening of Sheraton Cartagena will give the brand a second hotel in Colombia and increase its total portfolio in Latin America to 37 hotels. In 2016, the brand will return to Bolivia with the opening of Sheraton Santa Cruz. Last year, Sheraton opened its sixth hotel in Brazil—Sheraton Reserva do Paiva Hotel and Convention Center and returned to the Dominican Republic with the opening of Sheraton Santo Domingo Hotel.
