Protea Joins Over 4,000 Marriott International Hotels Where Members Can Earn And Redeem Points For Global Travel

Cape Town, South Africa, 25th November 2015: Marriott Rewards, the award winning global hotel loyalty program, is being expanded to all Protea Hotels and African Pride Hotels across Sub-Saharan Africa, giving its 53 million members 100 more hotels where they can earn and redeem points. Today's expansion follows an initial rollout of Marriott Rewards to 25 properties in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban and expands the program to Protea and African Pride hotels in Namibia, Zambia, Tanzania, Ghana, Uganda, Nigeria and Malawi.

'Marriott Rewards members--our most loyal guests--are seeking travel experiences that empower them to pursue their passions. Marriott Rewards' expansion to include all Protea Hotels allows members to enjoy the benefits of loyalty when traveling to Africa, whether for business or leisure,' explains Mark Satterfield, Chief Operating Officer for Marriott International, Middle East & Africa and Marriott International's Business Leader for Protea Hotels.

For individuals who travel around Africa, this is the first time an African hotel brand has offered loyalty points for domestic stays that can be redeemed for travel internationally. Protea Hotels is positioned in the moderate and upper moderate tier categories, with properties situated in key business centers and sought-after leisure destinations. Protea Hotels offers accommodation ideal for both business and leisure travelers, with modern design and a unique blend of local style and personal service.

Marriott Rewards points can be redeemed for hotel stays, as well as for a range of other benefits, such as air travel, frequent flyer miles, cruises, car rentals, and merchandise. In addition to earning points for their stays, Marriott Rewards members enjoy exclusive benefits, such as free Wi-Fi and mobile check-in and check-out through the Marriott Mobile app, as well as special offers only available when booking direct on Marriott.com.

To learn more about Marriott Rewards, which is free to join, please visit: www.MarriottRewards.com.

About Marriott Rewards

Marriott Rewards is Marriott International's award-winning loyalty program spanning 16 brands and over 4,000 properties worldwide. Marriott Rewards is free to join and has no blackout dates and members can earn and redeem points at Marriott International properties around the world and at Marriott Rewards exclusive luxury partner The Ritz-Carlton®. Members can also redeem points for frequent flyer miles, cruises, car rentals, merchandise and more. By making rewards accessible with a modern, easy approach, Marriott Rewards continues to be a leader in the industry. Marriott Rewards has won the Freddie Award for 'Best Hotel Rewards Program in the Americas' eight years in a row and the 2011 and 2010 Frequent Travel Award for 'Best Hotel Rewards Program.' In addition, the program has been named best hotel rewards program by the readers of U.S. News & World Report, About.com, Business Traveler, Global Traveler, Executive Travel and BusinessWeek magazines. To enroll and for more information about Marriott Rewards, guests can visit MarriottRewards.com.

About Protea Hotels

Protea Hotels is Africa's leading hotel brand and has a footprint of more than 100 properties throughout South Africa and seven other African countries, including Zambia, Nigeria, Namibia, Ghana and Uganda amongst others. Each hotel is uniquely different in character and the collection ranges from urban accommodation to country retreats, all in the 3 and 4-star markets. Protea Hotels is the winner of 2 World Travel Awards for Best Hotel Group in Africa, winner of 3 Sunday Times Markinor Top Hotel Brand Awards, the winner of 6 Coolest Hotel Group awards in the Sunday Times Generation Next surveys and the winner of the Ask Africa South African Customer Service Award 2013 and Icon Brand 2015. The hotel group was bought by Marriott International in April 2014 and forms part of Marriott's global brand portfolio made up of 19 brands that operate more than 4 300 hotels in 81 countries. Follow us on twitter @ProteaHotels

About Marriott International:

Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) is a global leading lodging company based in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, with more than 4,300 properties in 85 countries and territories. Marriott International reported revenues of nearly $14 billion in fiscal year 2014. The company operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts under 19 brands, including: The Ritz-Carlton®, BVlgari®, EDITION®, JW Marriott®, Autograph Collection® Hotels, Renaissance® Hotels, Marriott Hotels®, Delta Hotels and Resorts®, Marriott Executive Apartments®, Marriott Vacation Club®, Gaylord Hotels®, AC Hotels by Marriott®, Courtyard®, Residence Inn®, SpringHill Suites®, Fairfield Inn & Suites®, TownePlace Suites®, Protea Hotels® and Moxy Hotels®. Marriott has been consistently recognized as a top employer and for its superior business ethics. The company also manages the award-winning guest loyalty program, Marriott Rewards® and The Ritz-Carlton Rewards® program, which together surpass 50 million members. For more information or reservations, please visit our website at www.marriott.com, and for the latest company news, visit www.marriottnewscenter.com.

Media Contact:

Deema Kingsmill-Moore
Marriott International, Inc.
Deema.Kingsmill-Moore@marriott.com

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