Marriott completes Starwood acquisition to create world’s largest hotel company  (萬豪酒店集團完成喜達屋酒店集團併購案並成為全球最大酒店集團) 

Marriott International has completed its acquisition of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., creating the world’s largest hotel company. Marriott now offers a comprehensive portfolio of brands including leading lifestyle brands, a significant global footprint, and leadership in the luxury and select-service tiers as well as the convention and resort segment. Beginning today, Marriott will match member status across Marriott Rewards – which includes The Ritz-Carlton Rewards – and Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG), enabling members to transfer points between the programs for travel and exclusive experiences when they link their accounts later today. 
萬豪酒店集團已完成與喜達屋酒店集團的併購案並成為全球最大的酒店集團。如今萬豪酒店能提供全面性的酒店品牌，包含引領潮流的生活風格品牌、標誌性的國際品牌、奢華與精選層級的領導品牌，以及涵納會議與渡假酒店區塊。從今日起(2016/09/23)，萬豪酒店集團將萬豪禮賞(包含麗思卡爾頓禮賞)及喜達屋優先會員的會員等級達成相互對應，並讓會員們能為了進行旅遊與獨家會員體驗在三個會員制之間自由移轉會員點數。會員在今日稍晚就可進行帳號聯合步驟。

“Throughout our nearly 90-year history we have never stopped searching for innovative ways to serve our guests. With the addition of Starwood’s strong brands, great properties, and talented people, we have dramatically expanded our ability to provide the best experiences to our customers. We also welcome the tremendous responsibility as the world’s largest hotel company to be a good global steward, providing new opportunities for our associates and building the economic strength of the communities we call home,” said J.W. Marriott, Jr., Executive Chairman and Chairman of the Board of Marriott International.
萬豪國際集團董事會主席暨萬豪國際集團執行主席 J.W. Marriott Jr. 說：「萬豪酒店集團已有近九十年的歷史，我們從未停止尋求服務顧客的創新方式。憑藉著喜達屋酒店集團旗下的強大品牌、絶佳酒店及人才的加入，我們已戲劇性地大幅擴增提供最佳顧客體驗的能力。我們同時也欣然接下全球最大酒店集團的重責大任，成為一位良好的國際性酒店公司，並提供新機會給我們的員工以及建立起我們稱之為「家」的共同體經濟力。」

The new company will operate or franchise more than 5,700 properties and 1.1 million rooms, representing 30 leading brands from the moderate-tier to luxury in over 110 countries. With the completion of this acquisition, Marriott’s distribution has more than doubled in Asia and the Middle East & Africa combined.
「這個新酒店集團將經營或加盟超過5700間酒店及110萬間客房，擁有30個從中階至奢華型的領導品牌，在110個國家以上皆有據點。因著這項併購案的完成，萬豪酒店集團在亞洲及中東與非洲區域的分佈已有超過雙倍的增長。」

“We believe that Marriott now has the world’s best portfolio of hotel brands, the most comprehensive global footprint, and the most extensive loyalty programs, providing an unparalleled guest experience. Combining Starwood’s brands with ours better enables Marriott to reach our goal of having the right brand in the right place to serve our loyal guests and welcome new ones,” said Arne Sorenson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Marriott International. “We can now provide a better range of choices for our guests, more opportunities for our associates, and greater financial benefits for our owners, franchisees, and shareholders.”
萬豪國際酒店集團的執行長暨總裁 Arne Sorenson 表示：「我們深信萬豪酒店集團現在已擁有全球最佳的酒店品牌組合，最全面性的全球布局以及全球最大的顧客忠誠計劃，並提供無與倫比的顧客體驗。喜達屋與萬豪的酒店品牌相結合能讓萬豪酒店集團達成「對的品牌在對的地點以服務我們既有的忠誠會員及迎接新會員」的目標。如今我們能夠為我們的顧客提供更好的選擇，為我們的員工提供更多的工作機會，以及為我們的業主、加盟者及股東提供更加的財務獲利。」

Loyalty programs(顧客忠誠計劃)

Marriott Rewards – which includes the Ritz-Carlton Rewards – and SPG are among the most recognized and awarded loyalty programs in hospitality. Together, these programs will offer members more benefits when they link their accounts, as well as new destinations such as Aruba, Tuscany’s Serchio Valley and Kruger National Park in South Africa for SPG members and the Maldives, Bora Bora and Santorini, Greece for Marriott Rewards and The Ritz-Carlton Rewards members.
萬豪禮賞(包含麗思卡爾頓禮賞)及喜達屋優先會員是所有最被認可以及獲獎無數的酒店顧客忠誠計劃中之二。將這三個顧客忠誠計劃做帳戶連結能提供會員更多的福利與旅行目的地，如同新開業的阿魯巴島麗思卡爾頓酒店、位於托斯卡尼 Serchio Valley的托斯卡尼西科萬麗渡假酒店、鄰近南非克魯格國家公園的克魯格大門Protea酒店之於喜達屋優先會員，而位於馬爾地夫的W渡假酒店、喜來登與瑞吉渡假酒店、位於法屬玻里尼西亞波拉波拉島的艾美及瑞吉渡假酒店以及位於希臘聖托里尼里島的豪華精選酒店之於萬豪禮賞與麗思卡爾頓禮賞會員。

“Marriott will draw upon the very best each program offers and we can’t wait to show the loyal members of these programs the power and benefits of Marriott and Starwood coming together,” said Stephanie Linnartz, Executive Vice President and Global Chief Commercial Officer.
萬豪酒店集團的全球廣告長及執行副總裁 Stephanie Linnartz 表示：「萬豪將精挑出三個忠誠計劃中的福利優惠，而且我們等不及要讓我們的忠誠會員們看看萬豪與喜達屋結合以後，他們可享有的權力與福利。」

Marriott will launch a microsite later today, www.members.marriott.com, for all members of the combined company’s loyalty programs to learn more about the reciprocal benefits now available and to link accounts.
萬豪酒店集團在今日(2016/09/23) 稍晚會推出一個微型網站：www.members.marriott.com (含多語言版本)，讓新萬豪酒店集團的所有的會員得以了解會員福利是可以流通的並且能將三個忠誠計劃的帳號相互做連結設定。

Transaction benefits (併購案的益處)

Marriott’s acquisition of Starwood enables the combined company to expand the scope of its distribution and portfolio while deploying its larger scale to realize cost efficiencies in its corporate and property operations. Marriott has stated previously and is confident that the company can achieve $250 million in annual corporate cost synergies. Additional synergies at the property level should come in the form of leveraging scale in operations and sharing best practices. Combined sales expertise and improved account coverage are expected to provide both enhanced efficiencies and increased revenue opportunities for managed and franchised properties.
萬豪併購喜達屋的案子使得結合之後的萬豪酒店集團得以擴張其據點版圖與酒店品牌，而酒店集團規模擴張能在企業本身及酒店運作上實現成本效益。萬豪酒店集團先前已說明並有信心在企業年度成本協同效應達成 2.5億的目標。附加的協同效應在酒店層級的部份會以營運上平衡和分享最佳執業成果來呈現。新的萬豪酒店集團所結合的業務行銷專才和核可的企業涵蓋程度預計可以帶來效益上的提昇及利潤機會的增長。

“These enhanced efficiencies and revenue opportunities should drive improved property-level profitability as well as greater owner and franchisee preference for the combined company’s brands, which will encourage new hotel development,” Sorenson said. “As new travel destinations emerge, Marriott can be counted on to be there.”
萬豪國際酒店集團的執行長暨總裁 Arne Sorenson 說：「這些效益上的提昇及利潤機會的增長應能帶動酒店本身的獲利以及業主與加盟者對於新萬豪酒店集團的品牌更大的偏好，而這也將促進新酒店開發的進展。每當有新的旅遊目的地出現，萬豪酒店集團總被期待能在該處開設新據點。」

One-time transaction costs for the merger are expected to total approximately $140 million. Marriott intends to take the steps necessary to cause Starwood’s outstanding public debt to be pari passu with the outstanding public debt of Marriott International. Marriott remains committed to maintaining an investment grade credit rating and to continue managing the balance sheet prudently after the merger.
併購案的單筆交易成本預計總數約1.4億美金。萬豪集團傾向於採取必要步驟讓喜達屋集團未清償之公債與萬豪集團未清償公債享有同等權益。在併購案之後，萬豪集團仍會致力於維持其投資等級信用評等以及持續審慎管理其資產負債狀況。

New board members and shares listing (新董事會成員與股票上市)

Effective today, Marriott’s Board of Directors has increased from 11 to 14 members, with the addition of Bruce Duncan, Chairman, President and CEO of First Industrial Realty Trust, Inc., Eric Hippeau, Partner, Lerer Hippeau Ventures; and Aylwin Lewis, Chairman and CEO of Potbelly Corporation. Messrs. Hippeau and Lewis are also former Starwood board members. Full biographies on each of the three new Board members are available at  www.Marriott.com/investor.
即日起生效，萬豪酒店集團的董事會已從原有的11名成員增至14名，而新增的三名董事會成員分別是第一產業地產信託公司的執行長、總裁暨主席 Bruce Duncan，Lerer Hippeau投資公司的合夥人 Eric Hippeau，以及 Potbelly 餐飲公司的執行長暨主席 Aylwin Lewis。這三位同時也是前喜達屋集團董事會成員。這三位新董事會成員的完整生平在 www.Marriott.com/investor 可以看得到。

Before market open today, Starwood’s shares will cease trading on the New York Stock Exchange. As previously announced, Starwood shareholders will receive $2.10 in cash and 0.80 shares of Marriott International, Inc. Class A common stock for each share of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. common stock.
在今天(2016/09/23)股市開盤前，喜達屋集團的股票會停止在紐約證券交易所進行買賣。如同早先所公佈的內容一樣，喜達屋股東所持有的每個普通股將獲得0.8股的萬豪A類普通股及2.1美元的現金股利。

Arne Sorenson remains President and Chief Executive Officer of Marriott International, and Marriott’s headquarters continues to be located in Bethesda, Maryland.
Arne Sorenson仍續任萬豪酒店集團的執行長暨總裁一職，而集團總部依然位於美國馬里蘭州的貝塞斯達市。