Marriott International Inc. fell short of fourth-quarter earnings projections, attributing the miss to reduced business travel during last year's 35-day US government shutdown. The hotel chain reported weakened demand from government contractors and corporate clients as federal operations stalled between December and January.

The shutdown created $24 million in lost revenue from cancellations at Washington-area hotels alone, with ripple effects across major airport hubs. Extended TSA staffing shortages led to flight delays that further discouraged corporate travel during the critical year-end period when many companies finalize budgets.

Shares dropped 2.3% in after-hours trading as investors weighed the results. While leisure travel remained stable, Marriott's heavy reliance on business clients left it more exposed to political disruptions than rivals with diversified customer bases.