MAM
Marriott International reported growth in the Asia Pacific excluding China
Mumbai: Following the recent announcement by Marriott International, Inc of its strong global net rooms growth and record year of organic signings in 2023, the company highlighted the remarkable surge in hotel and residences openings and signings in the Asia Pacific excluding China (APEC) region, particularly in key travel markets such as Japan, India, and Vietnam.
At the close of 2023, Marriott set a milestone in APEC with over 60 properties added to its portfolio during the year, bringing the company’s presence in the APEC region to more than 560 operating hotels and residences, and exceeding 10 percent net room growth compared to 2022. The company also sealed a record of over 80 deals signed across 13 markets, representing approximately 18,000 rooms.
As tourism recovers in APEC and the travel landscape evolves, Marriott has continued to focus on strategically providing the best-in-class offerings to owners, franchisees, and guests. At the end of 2023, Marriott’s APEC development pipeline stood at over 320 hotels with over 69,000 rooms, showcasing the company’s dedication to providing world renowned brands and diverse experiences, aligning with the evolving preferences of travelers across the region.
Luxury continues to play a pivotal role in the growth of Marriott, and 25 per cent of Marriott’s global luxury rooms pipeline is represented in APEC. In 2023, 15 per cent of the deals signed in APEC were in the luxury segment. A record nine luxury hotels were opened in the region in 2023 including The Ritz-Carlton, Melbourne— Marriott’s 1,000 hotel in the Asia Pacific region. The JW Marriott Goa debuted the brand in Goa and was the company’s 150 hotel to open in South Asia, and added The Singapore edition is the first edition in Southeast Asia.
Marriott International APEC president Rajeev Menon said, “With our record year of growth at Marriott International in APEC, we remain committed to meeting the demands of modern travelers underscored by our diverse portfolio of brands and strategic presence in new destinations,”.
“2023 has positioned us as a thriving and desirable region in the global landscape. I am excited about our momentum as we focus on being where our customers want us to be and connecting people through the power of travel.” he added.
Digital
India leads global adoption of ChatGPT Images 2.0 in first week
From anime avatars to fantasy covers, users turn AI visuals into culture
NEW DELHI: India has emerged as the largest user base for ChatGPT Images 2.0, just a week after its launch by OpenAI, underlining the country’s growing influence on global internet trends.
While the tool was introduced as an advanced image-generation upgrade within ChatGPT, Indian users are quickly reshaping its purpose. Instead of sticking to productivity-led use cases, many are embracing it as a creative playground for self-expression, storytelling and online identity.
From anime-style portraits and cinematic headshots to tarot-inspired visuals and fictional newspaper front pages, the model is being used to create highly stylised, shareable content. Features such as accurate text rendering, multilingual prompts and the ability to generate detailed visuals with minimal input have helped drive rapid adoption.
What sets the latest model apart is its ability to “think” through prompts, generating multiple outputs and adapting to context, including real-time web inputs. But the bigger story lies in how users are engaging with it.
In India, trends are already taking shape. Popular formats include dramatic studio-style lighting edits, LinkedIn-ready headshots, manga-inspired avatars, soft pastel “spring” aesthetics, AI-led fashion moodboards, paparazzi-style visuals and fantasy newspaper covers. Users are also restoring old photographs, creating tarot-style imagery and experimenting with futuristic design concepts.
Local flavour is adding another layer. Prompts such as cinematic portrait collages and Y2K-inspired romantic edits are gaining traction, blending global aesthetics with distinctly Indian internet culture.
The surge reflects a broader shift in how AI tools are being used in the country, moving beyond utility to creativity. As younger users, creators and social media enthusiasts experiment with new visual formats, AI-generated imagery is increasingly becoming part of everyday digital expression.
If early trends hold, ChatGPT Images 2.0 may not just be a tech upgrade but a cultural moment, giving millions a new visual language to play with online.
