Marriott CEO Says Nations Not Having Strong Coronavirus Policies Hurt Businesses Like His

A heavy-handed government response to coronavirus, while tough in the short term, may ultimately fuel a faster hotel industry recovery, according to the world’s largest hotel company’s chief executive. Marriott grappled with the pandemic’s impact on its portfolio since January in China, and since March in the U.S. China’s central government eventually ordered stringent lockdowns, and the country is reporting low transmission rates and strong momentum in its hotel industry recovery. But the virus and how to balance public health and the economy have become politicized in America, and its array of responses — and fast reopenings in some states — have led to spikes in transmissions and even a likely ban on American travelers to the European Union later this year. While not calling out the U.S. specifically, Marriott CEO Arne Sorenson noted there is a potential lesson learned from a strong central government response like China’s in helping to fuel the hotel industry’s recovery. “You see in China’s response something of the advantage of a powerful central government that can