US hotel firm Marriott has identified Australia as an ideal candidate for its new range of budget hotels in partnership with Ikea, as it insisted it is committed to the local market.
Chief executive Arne Sorenson told Travel Today that the firm has seen its Australian tally of properties contract because it is "not an easy place" to do business. Last May saw the Sydney Mariott Hotel rebadge as the Pullman Sydney Hyde Park, taking Marriott's portfolio to five Australian properties across two brands.
But, despite this, he claimed he has not lost interest in the market.
"I'm frustrated by how little we have there," he admitted.
Sorenson dismissed the idea of introducing high luxury brands to Australia, insisting "no frills are necessary" for the local market.
However, he suggested Marriott's new Moxy brand, a collaboration with Swedish furniture retailer Ikea, could be the perfect fit.
The three-star brand, announced in March, is expected to debut in Milan in early 2014 with 150 properties to be rolled out across Europe over the next five years.
But Australia could now also be in the running as Sorenson insisted he is committed to growing Marriot's portfolio Down Under, with Sydney and Perth both priorities.
"Sydney is higher on the desirability scale, but Perth is higher on the likely scale," he added.
