Hospitality & Tourism
Montgomery County: The Hospitality Capital
Montgomery County is a predominant hub for hospitality excellence. The area is a global headquarters for major international hoteliers, including Marriott and Choice. Support organizations to hospitality companies are abundant like Sodexo, HMS Host, WeddingWire and Ridgewells Catering. A sunny and very pleasant economic climate welcomes hospitality companies and other global businesses to our County. Whether putting down new roots or expanding seasoned ones, MoCo offers a prime locale.
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A Prime Tourism Attraction
Nearly 7 million visitors pour into the county every year, generating millions of dollars in revenue and boosting employment by more than 30,000 people. Our proximity to the nation’s capital helps boost our ‘favorite destination’ status. With major festivals, arts, museums and other attractions, the County is a prime draw for business and personal tourism. Explore the culinary excellence, rich history, outdoor adventures and much more in Montgomery.
Marriott International, the world’s largest hotel and global hospitality company, opened a $650 million new headquarters in Bethesda.
Choice Hotels, one of the world's largest lodging franchisors, is moving into a state-of-the-art, 105,000 sq. ft., LEED-certified headquarters in Rockville, MD.
B.F. Saul operates conference centers and business class hotels in airport, urban and suburban markets.
Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc. is a Fortune 500 company with the largest lodging real estate investment trust (REIT) and owner of upscale hotels.
Bethesda North Marriott Hotel & Conference Center
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Choice Hotels International, Inc. HQ in Rockville, MD
Hospitality
It All Began With a Root Beer Stand
Montgomery County is a global destination for corporate headquarters for Fortune 500 companies including Marriott and Ritz-Carlton. Look at Marriott Hotels, a global leader with its pick of global headquarter locations. They chose to stay in Montgomery County, with a $600 million complex, housing thousands of employees in 785,000 sq. ft. of space in downtown Bethesda. And to think, founder J. Willard Marriott and his wife, Alice, got their start with an A&W root beer stand in 1927.
A State-of-the-Art Headquarters
Choice Hotels, formerly based in Silver Spring, also chose to keep roots and expand in MoCo, building a LEED-certified, 105,000 sq. ft. headquarters. They selected Rockville, a great example of one of MoCo’s many walkable communities to live, work and play. With more than 400 employees at the headquarters, its state-of-the-art facility launches a new era for the company. Choice franchises more than 6,300 hotels in the United States and abroad.
Support & Incentives
Perks and tax incentives bring in our hospitality clients, and a strong, growing economy keeps them here. Montgomery County and Maryland both provide excellent incentives from various groups, including the Maryland Economic Development Assistance and Authority Fund Development Assistance and Authority fund. Another great find? The Innovation Network incubator, where mentors can help you ‘kick the tires’ of businesses and ideas, help secure funding and offer support that leads to success.
hospitality workforce Training
Customer service success comes from the great people of our county. The Marriott Hospitality Center at Montgomery College offers a degree in Hospitality Management and certificates in Food and Beverage Management and Conference Planning. That’s just one of the close-by programs available to help you source an excellent, ready-to-start workforce for success. Montgomery County offers unequaled advantages for businesses looking to expand or relocate, thanks to an exceptional workforce and our prime location.
NOTABLE AREA BUSINESSES
Marriott International • Choice Hotels International • The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company • Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc. • Sodexo • LaSalle Hotel Properties • RLJ Lodging Trust • Pebblebrook Hotel Trust • DiamondRock Hospitality • Hospitality Partners • BF Saul • The Bolger Center • Mont Co Parks Lodges and Venues • HMSHost • Ridgewells Catering
Tourism
Arts, Parks and Year-Round Events
As Maryland’s most populous County, there are numerous fantastic festivals, events, music and arts throughout the area – and throughout the year. Bethesda has its and food festivals. Silver Spring its music and AFI film fests. The vast Agricultural Reserve offers farm tours, pick-your-own fruits and vegetables festivals, and pop up farmers markets. Gaithersburg brings the Sugarloaf Crafts Festival, Oktoberfest and an annual film festival – and the list goes on and on from there.
A Cultural Capital
Museum lovers enjoy the newly-renovated Glenstone Museum – an amazing modern and contemporary collection that seamlessly integrates art, architecture and landscape – and, it’s always free. There’s the Sandy Spring Museum, the King Barn Dairy MOOseum, the Oakley Cabin African American Museum & Park, and the National Capital Trolley Museum, to name just a few. Cultural opportunities are abundant in the County.
A Great Place to Visit
MoCo is an exciting destination for entertainment and family fun, incredible cultural venues and exhibitions, world-class restaurants and much more. Visit Montgomery is the official tourism organization with a wealth of information on the perfect hotel, meeting and group planning, ideas and activities, plus a fun free travel guide. For seasonal events and happenings, check out Events at Visit Montgomery.
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The Amazing Ag
Experience the great outdoors in our incredible Agricultural Reserve – it comprises a full one-third of the County’s land. Enjoy one of our 422 parks across 37,000 acres, 4 lakes, 304 tennis courts, 342 athletic fields and 251 miles of paved and natural surface trails. Find great wineries, breweries and tasting rooms. Add in great shopping and dining and it’s no wonder Montgomery County draws so many residents, businesses and visitors alike.
Urban Districts to Explore
Downtown centers abound – the fun Pike & Rose, the dynamic experience of Rio’s Lakefront, the sophistication of Bethesda Row and the lively vibe of downtown Silver Spring. Find great dining, entertainment and shopping that is unique to each area. Explore each area and see which is perfect for you.
Montgomery County gives you endless art, entertainment, attractions, and some of the country’s most interesting historical sites So close to the nation’s capital, and so much to do in Montgomery County, Maryland.
For more information, Visit Montgomery.
