In 2026, Walia’s position was expanded to also oversee the company’s operations in Africa, as well as the Design Hotels’ portfolio. He oversees more than 410 properties and 90,000 rooms across the MEA region, as of March 2026, with 35 properties and over 6,500 rooms having opened in 2025 alone. Also in 2025, Marriott announced it plans to expand in Africa through the addition of 50 properties and 9,000 rooms by the end of 2027. In June 2026, it signed a $1.33 billion deal with Blacksand for 10 hotels in Saudi Arabia.