Entries by Jon Sussman

Romance of the Three Kingdoms: Marriott’s China Ambitions Caught in Struggle Between Tech Giants

May 15, 2018 in /by

In a previous post, we discussed how Marriott and Alibaba agreed to promote Marriott in China through Alibaba’s subsidiary Fliggy at the same time that the partnership between Marriott and Ctrip, the leader of the Chinese online travel market, was unraveling. The competition between Ctrip and Fliggy is a microcosm of a much larger on-going battle between three Chinese tech giants: Baidu, Alibaba, and Tencent (the trio is often referred to as BAT).

Downranked by Largest Chinese Travel Agency, Marriott Tried Again with Smaller Competitor

May 8, 2018 in /by

In August 2017, Marriott International announced a joint venture with the Chinese tech giant Alibaba and its subsidiary Fliggy. Coverage in Western media outlets touted how the deal could enable Marriott to reach millions of Chinese travelers.

But the U.S. press did not report that the Alibaba deal came in the wake of a conflict between Marriott and Ctrip, the most dominant player in the Chinese online travel industry.

What deal did Marriott make with Alibaba? An Explainer

May 3, 2018 in /by

In August 2017, Marriott International announced a strategic partnership with the Chinese tech giant Alibaba. In its press release, Marriott claimed that the partners would redefine the travel experience for hundreds of millions of Chinese consumers.

Western press mentions of the deal have repeated Marriott’s rosy predictions. In this post, we break down what Alibaba is, and explain the components of the deal.

万豪同意关闭中国网站一周。两个月后，网站重新开放，但缺失了一项关键功能。

May 2, 2018 in /by

2018年1月，一次邮件失误导致万豪被要求向中国政府致歉（我们在前一篇文章中曾探讨过这事件）。万豪遵照政府要求，关闭了其在中国的网站及应用程序。多家媒体报告称网站将被政府关闭一周。

而少数报道则称万豪的中国网站被封至少两个月 – 并且重新开放后无法直接预订酒店客房。

Marriott agreed to shut down its Chinese website for one week. Two months later, it returned – missing a key feature.

May 2, 2018 in /by

In January 2018, after an email gaffe obliged Marriott to apologize to the Chinese government (an incident we explored in a previous post), Marriott complied with a government request to shut down its websites and apps in the country. Several outlets reported that sites would be shut down by the government for a week.

What was less widely reported was that Marriott’s Chinese website was unavailable for at least two months – and returned without the ability to directly book hotel rooms.

With an email and a ‘like,’ Marriott set off a firestorm in China – and found itself caught between Chinese and U.S. public opinion.

May 1, 2018 in /by

Marriott set off a firestorm in China in January. Chinese public opinion rallied against the company, and government regulators temporarily shut down their website and apps.

The source of this conflict was simple – an email and a Twitter ‘like’ that suggested Marriott disagreed with China’s position on its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

隆重推出万豪中国观察网

May 1, 2018 in /by

欢迎来到万豪中国观察网。本网站提供了对万豪国际在全球第二大经济体–中国的活动所进行的研究与分析。

如果您是万豪国际的投资者，万豪股票的分析师，或者您是一名国际商务观察员，您已经知道中国是全球旅游行业的关键市场：中国是国际旅游业的全球最大消费体，并预计会持续增长。

Introducing Marriott China Observer

May 1, 2018 in /by

Welcome to Marriott China Observer. This website provides on-going research and analysis on Marriott International’s activities in China, the world’s second-largest economy.

If you are an investor in Marriott International, an analyst reviewing Marriott stock, or an international business observer, you already know that China is a critical market for the global hospitality industry: China is the world’s biggest spender on international tourism and is poised for greater growth.