• John Toomey joined Marriott in 1996 and is the hotel chain's chief commercial officer. • Toomey said Marriott is betting big on India, with more than 150 hotels set to open there. • He said India's young and increasingly affluent population was a strong motivator for Marriott.

India is set to become Marriott International's next big growth bet.

The hotel chain's chief commercial officer, John Toomey, said in an interview with Business Insider that Marriott is looking to double its footprint in India, from 48 to 90 cities.

India "is an absolutely exploding economy and democracy," said Toomey, who has worked at Marriott for nearly three decades.

In his current role, Toomey oversees over 650 Marriott-run hotels in the Asia Pacific, excluding China. He said Marriott has over 150 hote

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