Marriott International, Inc. engages in the operation and franchise of hotel, residential, and timeshare properties. The company is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland and currently employs 155,000 full-time employees. Its segments include U.S. and Canada, Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), Greater China, Asia Pacific, excluding China. Its brand portfolio offers a range of brands and lodging offerings in hospitality. Its brands are categorized by style of offering: Classic and Distinctive. The classic brands offer time-honored hospitality for the modern traveler. The distinctive brands offer memorable experiences with a perspective, each of which it groups into four tiers: Luxury, Premium, Select, and Midscale. Its hotel brands include JW Marriott, The Ritz-Carlton, The Luxury Collection, W Hotels, Marriott Hotels, Sheraton, Delta Hotels by Marriott, Marriott Executive Apartments, Courtyard by Marriott, SpringHill Suites by Marriott, TownePlace Suites by Marriott, City Express by Marriott Four Points Express by Sheraton, and others.