Yoshihiro Nakai, president and representative director, Sekisui House and Craig Smith, president and managing.
The signing is also the result of a long-standing collaboration with Japanese real estate developer, Sekisui House. In total, an anticipated 15 hotels will be signed by next year.
Marriott International has signed for 12 Fairfield by Marriott hotels across five prefectures in Japan – Kyoto, Wakayama, Mie, Gifu and Tochigi.
Marriott says the new hotels anticipate the demand by travellers to explore Japan’s lesser-known destinations.
The signing is also the result of a long-standing collaboration with Japanese real estate developer, Sekisui House. In total, an anticipated 15 hotels will be signed by next year.
All properties are expected to open by 2021, with the first dozen hotels scheduled to open in late 2020.
“Japan has been experiencing robust growth in inbound tourist arrivals in recent years,” said Craig Smith, president and managing director, Asia Pacific, Marriott International.
“We see that, while there is increasing demand to explore destinations outside of the popular gateway cities, there is currently a limited amount of accommodations in these more remote areas.”
The upcoming Fairfield by Marriott hotels will be situated near roadside rest stations called “Michi-no-Eki” in Japan.
The Michi-no-Eki system was launched 20 years ago by the Japanese government to create a safe and comfortable roadside stopover for road trip travellers.
There are currently more than 1,000 stations along popular motorways that provide convenient services for travellers, including locally inspired dining venues, farm-fresh produce and traditional handicrafts.
Many rest stops also have a tourist information centre that guides visitors to nearby attractions, since many Michi-no-Eki stations are located near national parks and historic UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Yoshihiro Nakai, president and representative director, Sekisui House, said, “We hope to empower local communities through this project, by showcasing local cuisine, handicrafts and culture.
“We will work with local tourism operators and government partners to show the uniqueness of each destination and bring more domestic and international travellers to these remote areas.”
The new Fairfield by Marriott hotels in Japan will be constructed in a factory before being shipped to each site for assembly. The hotels feature between 49 to 96 rooms.