Is Westin a dead brand?
Am I the only one who thinks Westin is a dead brand? There has been basically no growth since 2015 or 2016. If my numbers are right, only 5 new Westins were added between 2016 and 2020 in North America. In Europe, Westin has decreased properties. I suspect that's because full-service hotels are too expensive for owners to develop and operate these days. The money seems to be in limited-service brands. Both Europe and North America are high-cost labor markets. When Starwood was separate, Westin was arguably their flagship brand. Now, under Marriott International, Westin seems lost with no path to more growth. Marriott has ended legacy Starwood agreements for Westin with Delta Air Lines and New Balance, for example. I concede that your average Westin isn't as bad as your average Sheraton (a brand that neither Starwood nor Marriott have managed to fix). But I don't see the path going forward. Especially with so many other brands in the Marriott portfolio.