Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Digicel and Marriott International broke ground on the $45 million 175-room Marriott Hotels & Resorts brand hotel in the Turgeau area of Port-au-Prince, with opening expected in early 2015, making it the first four-star branded hotel in Haiti.

Digicel Group is responsible for designing and building the hotel, and chose Marriott International’s signature Marriott Hotels & Resorts brand as its operating partner under a long-term management agreement. In addition to creating over 200 new hospitality jobs in Haiti, Marriott promises to invest in workforce training to benefit the country’s tourism sector.

The 175-room Marriott Hotel Port-au-Prince will include five suites, a casual restaurant with private dining area, fitness center, swimming pool, and a great room lobby that inspires creativity, productivity, and social interaction with its conveniently dispersed zones, including a bar and lounge. The property will also have a gift shop and marketplace, and will offer guests 24-hour room service, WiFi, and secure parking.

Commenting on the project, Digicel Chairman Denis O’Brien, said: “We’re delighted to be helping to bring the world-leading Marriott Hotels & Resorts brand to Haiti. Not only will this be a solution to the lodging issues in the city, it will also create jobs, attract foreign visitors, and communicate a positive outlook for the future of Haiti. Haiti is a great place to invest and do business, and I encourage others to take a look at the opportunities here.”

“We saw the need for a leading hotel brand in Haiti to accommodate the wave of travelers coming to do business in the country," said Arne Sorenson, President and Chief Executive Officer at Marriott International. “We believe we can make a difference in Haiti by creating jobs and developing the human talent that can help lift this country over time back to its rightful place as one of the top destinations in the Caribbean. We are working with the Ministers of Tourism and Vocational Education on how we can support existing institutions to raise the quality of hospitality training.”

Marriott International, Inc., is a leading lodging company based in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, with more than 3,700 properties in 74 countries and territories, and reported revenues of over $12 billion in fiscal year 2011. The company operates and franchises hotels, and licenses vacation ownership resorts under 18 brands.

[Photo: Denis O'Brien, Digicel Chairman and Founder; Colm Delves, Group CEO of Digicel; Stephanie Balmir Villedrouin, Minister of Tourism, Haiti; Arne Sorenson, President and CEO, Marriott International.]