Just a few months after its blockbuster deal to buy competitor Starwood, Marriott International is once again generating front page news. The company recently announced plans for a rapid expansion into the Middle East and Africa, planning to nearly double the amount of their current properties in the region. Marriott is targeting 245 hotels by 2020, a significant increase from the close to 150 they currently operate. The majority of the expansion will be in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, with 21 new properties in Saudi Arabia alone. If all goes according to plan, by 2025 Marriott plans on opening new properties in Qatar, Iraq, Rwanda, Gabon, Kenya, Tunisia, Benin, Mauritius, and Libya.