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The British car manufacturer<\/strong> has had a prolific<\/strong> third quarter, with sales of vehicles to dealers soaring<\/strong> by 104% to 1,349 units.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n It must be said that the group has come a long way. Even before the pandemic, Aston Martin<\/strong> was in serious financial trouble<\/strong> with its cash flow running out. Executive chairman Lawrence Stroll<\/strong> was forced to bring in new financing<\/strong> and to find a new development strategy<\/strong>. Profitability<\/strong> is back on track as the brand embarks on a transformation plan<\/strong>. On Thursday, annual sales forecasts of around 6,000 cars were maintained<\/strong>, while production of the Valkyrie<\/strong> model continues to increase.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n “In the first nine months of this year, we have successfully built on the foundation that we put in place from 2020<\/em>,” said Stroll<\/strong>. “Not only do we have a low dealer inventory, but it is also healthy and fresh, a testament to our move to ultra-luxury positioning<\/em>.”<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Marriott International<\/strong> also reported strong<\/strong> third-quarter results, beating revenue estimates<\/strong> on Wednesday, thanks to a strong<\/strong> rebound in leisure travel<\/strong> that helped counteract<\/strong> new restrictions in Asia caused by the Delta variant.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The company’s shares rose 4% to a record high<\/strong> on Thursday. According to the hotel operator, demand for leisure travel could continue to grow<\/strong> until 2022.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Occupancy rates in most major markets have improved<\/strong> from the pandemic lows thanks to vaccination<\/strong> and the reopening of economies. The recovery in China<\/strong>, however, has been slower<\/strong> and more turbulent<\/strong>, partly due to the country’s zero Covid policy<\/strong>. Nevertheless, global leisure travel<\/strong> remained strong<\/strong> throughout the quarter.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Occupancy in the JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton owner’s key region<\/strong> of the US<\/strong> and Canada<\/strong> was 63.5% in the third quarter, up<\/strong> from 37% a year earlier. Occupancy in Europe<\/strong> was 46.7%, up<\/strong> 26.3% from the same period in 2020.<\/p>\n <\/p>\nLeisure travel benefits Marriott<\/h2>\n