Marriott International to open hotel in Haiti

Marriott International says it plans to open its first ever hotel in Haiti in 2014.

"This hotel is one more signal that Haiti is open for business," said Marriott International president Arne Sorenson in a press release.

His announcement coincides with a major investors' conference held here this week and construction on the 173-room, US$45-million hotel will begin next year in the Haute Turgeau area in the capital.

Marriott expects the full-service Port-au-Prince Marriott Hotel will thrive as Haiti rebuilds from the tragic 2010 earthquake that killed an estimated 300,000 people and destroyed a number of buildings.

Haiti only has about 500 hotel rooms, and none of the hotels have meeting space for the non-government organisations, relief agencies and other groups working to rebuild the country.

Under the management agreement, Marriott pledged to invest in hospitality training that should benefit the island's tourism sector.

Marriott credits former United States President Bill Clinton with helping to push the project along and encourage hotel developer Digicel, on the initiative.

"This new hotel project will stand as a symbol of Haiti's recovery, providing much needed jobs to the Haitian people and encouraging foreigners to visit, invest and work in Port-au-Prince," said Clinton.

"My foundation has worked with both Marriott and Digicel, and encouraged them to form this partnership. Their investment proves that Haiti is open for business and on the path to economic recovery," he was quoted as saying in the release.

Digicel is the single largest private investor in Haiti and the country's largest telecommunications provider, the release added.