: Rising pressure from Online Travel Agents (OTAs) like Expedia and the growth of Airbnb challenged traditional hotel market shares.

: In 2017, the stock was a strong performer, fueled by "superb industrial logic" from the merger. Investors who bought in early 2017 benefited from a 66% price surge as the market priced in the value of the new hospitality giant.

For an investor in 2017, Marriott International (MAR) presented a compelling "Buy" case driven by its historic merger with Starwood Hotels & Resorts, which transformed it into the world's largest hotel company. The Investment Case for 2017