Marriott Again Recognized for Wellness at Work and Home

Company received Workplace Excellence Award and Health & Wellness Trailblazer Award.

Marriott International has once again received two awards from the Alliance for Workplace Excellence (AWE).  The company was honored with the Workplace Excellence Award and Health & Wellness Trailblazer Award, recognizing the company for promoting professional achievement and personal wellness at work, at home, and in the community.

As described by AWE, all award applicants undergo a rigorous assessment process led by an independent review panel of professors, PhD professionals, and doctoral candidates in business, industrial and organizational psychology, and human resources. Excellent Workplace and Health & Wellness Trailblazer Award winners demonstrated equal merit in each of the following categories: Workforce Demographics;  Management Practices;  Employee Engagement;  Corporate Social Responsibility; Diversity and Inclusion;  Total Rewards Programs and Benefits;  Health & Wellness Programs and Initiatives, and Employee Voice Survey.

“We are extremely proud to receive these two distinct awards, which help demonstrate Marriott’s enduring commitment to creating an excellent workplace,” said David Rodriguez, executive vice president and chief human resources officer.  “Marriott strives to support the personal and professional growth of all of our associates by offering a variety of work-life programs that help open doors to a world of opportunities.”

Marriott will be honored at a special awards luncheon held on June 11 at the Bethesda Marriott Hotel and Conference Center.  Seventy-three Washington, D.C.,-area businesses will be honored at the event, and more than 500 area business executives are expected to attend.

Alliance Overview:  The Alliance for Workplace Excellence provides a portfolio of services that allow employers to build excellent places to work.  Recognizing existing Excellent Places to Work, Health & Wellness Trailblazers and EcoLeaders throughout the mid-Atlantic region is one component of the Alliance’s mission.
 
The Alliance is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization founded by Montgomery County, Maryland, and Discovery Communications, Inc.  For more information, visit http://www.excellentworkplace.org.

Visit Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR) for company information. For more information or reservations, please visit our web site at www.marriott.com, and for the latest company news, visit www.marriottnewscenter.com.

Connect with elizabeth.mcglasson@marriott.com

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Marriott Helps Job Seekers “Put Their Best Foot Forward“

“Like” the Marriott Jobs & Careers Facebook page for a chance to win a $100 Zappos.com gift certificate.

As hospitality hiring rebounds with thousands of job openings, Marriott International embarks on its first social media campaign to help boost the confidence of job seekers engaging in the interview process – and support them in their efforts to literally put their best foot forward.  Through a random drawing every day from May 1 to May 10, 2012, a $100USD gift certificate to Zappos.com will be awarded to those who “like” the Marriott Jobs and Careers Facebook page and enter the Put Your Best Foot Forward Contest.

Marriott is consistently recognized as a top employer and for its superior business operations, which it conducts based on five core values and our “spirit to serve” culture: put people first, pursue excellence, embrace change, act with integrity, and serve our world. The same spirit is being extended to the millions of job seekers who annually seek out Marriott as a career destination and over time continue to engage in dialog with us on our social media channels. 

According to Francisca Martinez, Marriott International’s vice president of global talent acquisition, “We are thrilled to offer our talent community the chance to win Zappos.com gift certificates every day during these first 10 days of May.  The Put Your Best Foot Forward promotion is light-hearted and fun, and a great way to shine a spotlight on the terrific careers resource our Facebook Jobs & Careers page has become.”

Visit the Marriott Jobs and Careers page on Facebook for additional information, official rules and to enter daily. 

Terms and conditions. No purchase necessary. Void outside the 50 U.S. and DC, and where prohibited by law.  Open only to legal residents of the 50 U.S. and DC who are at least 18 years of age or age of majority, whichever is greater, as of 4/30/12. Promotion begins 6:00 p.m. ET on 4/30/12 and ends 5:59 p.m. ET on 5/10/12.  To enter, visit https://www.facebook.com/marriottjobsandcareers/app_194975693850063 and complete all required fields of the onscreen entry form.  Ten (10) Daily Prizes: One (1) $100 USD Zappos® Gift Certificate redeemable at Zappos.com. Total ARV of all prizes:  $1,000 USD.  Odds of winning are based on the number of eligible entries received during each daily entry period.  For complete rules and eligibility requirements, visit www.facebook.com/marriottjobsandcareers or send a SASE to: Marriott International, Inc., c/o Jessica Lee, Dept. 52/931.09, 10400 Fernwood Road, Bethesda, MD 20817. Copyright ©2012 Marriott International. All rights reserved.

Visit Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR) for company information. For more information on careers, please visit our web site at www.marriott.com/careers, and for the latest company news, visit www.marriottnewscenter.com.

Connect with jessica.lee@marriott.com or elizabeth.mcglasson@marriott.com

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Training Magazine Honors Two Marriott Associates

Holly Battelle (left) and Meredith Armstrong (right) Named "Top Young Trainers' for 2012

Training Magazine has named Marriott associates Holly Battelle and Meredith Armstrong ‘Top Young Trainers’ for 2012.  The annual award, now in its fifth year, honors 40 trainers under age 40.   In addition to technical training competency and leadership skills, honorees must have led innovative, large-scale training initiatives that produce business results.  

Battelle, Global Brand Advocate/Senior Manager, developed the first-ever service strategy for the Marriott Executive Apartment brand.  She listened to guest expectations and transformed them into a service strategy across 3,500 luxury serviced apartments in 17 countries.

“Holly is a powerhouse--she never stops and continually pushes those around her to do better, be faster, and more innovative,” said Loren Nalewanski, Vice President, Global Brand Management.  

Armstrong, Director, Sales & Marketing Training, led the single largest training-related transformation in the history of Marriott.   She helped transition more than 3,000 sales associates and 785 hotels to a new way of doing business -- redesigning the sales organization to be more guest-centric. 

“Meredith truly represents the core values of our company.  By ‘putting people first,‘ she has earned great respect among her peers and has increased associate satisfaction in the training organization by 20 percent,” said Sjaloom Stringer, Vice President Sales & Marketing Training, Communications and Recognition. 

Battelle and Armstrong are part of Marriott's Global Learning Network (GLN). The GLN is comprised of approximately 250 Learning Professionals across 20 disciplines who design, develop and deliver best-in-class learning.

Connect with elizabeth.mcglasson@marriott.com

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Best Employer Brand Awarded to Marriott International at ERE Recruiting Excellence Awards

Marriott named Best Employer Brand following its recent re-branding work with Evviva Brands

Marriott International has received the Best Employer Brand award at the ERE Expo, which seeks out new ideas and innovations amongst corporate recruiting professionals.  The award recognizes Marriott’s unique employment branding strategy, designed in partnership with Evviva Brands, which includes Marriott’s “Find Your World” brand line, the Facebook game “My Marriott Hotel” and a blog for university students.

“I’m so proud of the work that my employer brand team has done in partnership with our consumer brand teams and Evviva to help attract talent to careers in hospitality and introduce Marriott into far-reaching, emerging markets via social media platforms,” said Francisca Martinez, Vice President of Talent Acquisition, who accepted the award on behalf of Marriott.

“Marriott is a fantastic company to work with. They see their employer brand as critical to their future success and it’s exciting to see the work get the recognition it deserves,” added Dr. David Kippen, CEO and Chief Strategist at Evviva Brands.

To play the ‘My Marriott Hotel’ Facebook game for yourself, and see how Marriott leveraged the benefits of social media to encourage talent acquisition, click here.

Notes to editors:

Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR) is a leading lodging company based in Bethesda, Maryland, USA with more than 3,700 properties in 73 countries and territories and reported revenues of over $12 billion in fiscal year 2011.  The company operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts under 18 brands, including Marriott Hotels & Resorts, The Ritz-Carlton, JW Marriott, Bulgari, EDITION, Renaissance, Autograph Collection, AC Hotels by Marriott, Courtyard, Fairfield Inn & Suites, SpringHill Suites, Residence Inn, TownePlace Suites, ExecuStay, Marriott Executive Apartments, Marriott Vacation Club, Grand Residences by Marriott, and The Ritz-Carlton Destination Club.  There are approximately 300,0000 employees at headquarters, managed and franchised properties.  Marriott is consistently recognized as a top employer and for its superior business operations, which it conducts based on five core values: put people first, pursue excellence, embrace change, act with integrity, and serve our world. For more information or reservations, please visit our website at www.marriott.com, and for the latest company news, visit www.marriottnewscenter.com.  

About Evviva Brands - Evviva Brands is an international team of employee engagement, brand and communications specialists - helping major companies build their reputations in order to attract and retain good people.

Headquartered in San Francisco, with offices globally, the consultancy provides creative solutions to critical staffing challenges, in both developed and emerging geographical markets. Evviva has significant experience in advising on national and cultural differences that effect employment attitudes across the globe.

Dr David Kippen, CEO, is an acknowledged authority and frequent lecturer on employer brand strategy and has worked with businesses ranging from Bain & Company, Coca-Cola and Microsoft in the United States to E.ON in Europe and Marriott International across many markets.

About ERE - ERE was created in 1998 as an online gathering place for recruiters. It was a needed destination where they could network, share best practices, and learn from each other.

More than a decade later, ERE Media has become the go-to source for information and conferences in the human resources and recruiting industries. We have built our publications and conferences around four core brands and audiences to cater to their specific needs.

ERE is the flagship publication and conference of ERE Media, designed to deliver need-to-know information to corporate recruiting professionals. It has steadily grown into the must-read publication and must-attend conference for corporate recruiting. ERE provides a blog, daily email newsletter, community, webinars, and job board. We also host both the twice-a-year ERE Expo and Recruiting Innovation Summits.

Connect with elizabeth.mcglasson@marriott.com

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Marriott Aims To Double Footprint In The Caribbean And Latin America By 2017

More than 70 additional hotels and 14,000 new jobs planned in the next five years.

Heralding a "golden age of travel," Marriott International (NYSE:MAR) plans to double the number of hotels in the Caribbean and Latin America within the next five years. Arne Sorenson, the new CEO of Marriott International, will make the announcement today at the Americas CEO Summit in Cartagena, Colombia, adding that the number of jobs at Marriott hotels in the region is expected to increase from 13,000 to 27,000 by the end of 2017.

The company also said it expects to double its presence in Colombia with the additions of Marriott hotels in both Cartagena and Cali.

This year’s hotel openings in the region showcase the company's broad portfolio of top brands, including the first Ritz-Carlton Reserve in the Americas at Dorado Beach, Puerto Rico to the JW Marriott in Cusco, Peru and the Courtyard by Marriott at Mexico City Airport.
Currently, Marriott has 35 hotels signed and under development in the Caribbean and Latin America.  These include The Ritz-Carlton, Aruba, The Ritz-Carlton, Panama City (Panama), JW Marriott Cusco (Peru), Port-au-Prince Marriott Hotel (Haiti) and the Renaissance Santiago (Chile).  By 2017, Marriott envisions its portfolio in the region rising to over 140 hotels and 30,000 rooms either opened or in the development pipeline.

Today, Marriott International is represented with 69 hotels in 25 countries in the Caribbean and Latin America. Nine of Marriott’s 18 brands are currently represented in the region:  The Ritz-Carlton and JW Marriott (luxury); Marriott Hotels & Resorts (upscale); Renaissance Hotels and Autograph Collection (lifestyle); Courtyard by Marriott (upper moderate);  Marriott Executive Apartments and Residence Inn by Marriott (extended stay); and Fairfield by Marriott (moderate).

“Latin America is booming, in terms of economic growth and political and institutional stability, which is creating a promising business climate,” said Mr. Sorenson, whose title is president and CEO. “The rising middle class throughout the region is eager to travel to new places and do business on the road. Worldwide, we're seeing a golden age of travel, and Latin America is at the forefront.  This, when combined with the strong performance and preference of our brands in the gateway markets, provides tremendous opportunity for Marriott's world class brands and service."

“This is an exciting time for hotel development in Latin America; the growing regional demand and broadening market, combined with the lack of consistent domestic hotel product and service, represents a large opportunity to develop upscale branded hotels as well as multi-unit moderate tier development platforms with local partners in the region,” said Laurent De Kousemaeker, chief development officer, Caribbean and Latin American Region, for Marriott International.

Note: The statements about the numbers of new hotels and rooms we expect to add by 2017 are “forward looking statements" within the meaning of federal securities laws, not historical facts, and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including the continuation and pace of the economic recovery; supply and demand changes for hotel rooms; competitive conditions in the lodging industry; relationships with clients and property owners; the availability of capital to finance hotel growth and refurbishment; and other risk factors identified in our most recent annual report on Form 10-K; any of which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by our statement. These statements are made as of the date of this press release, and we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Visit Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE:MAR) for company information.
Also visit www.MarriottNewsCenter.com for daily company news and information.

Connect with laura.botelho@marriott.com and stephanie.hampton@marriott.com

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Arne Sorenson Takes First Trip As Marriott International’s New CEO, Tours Hotels And Greets Nearly One Thousand Associates

Sao Paulo, Brazil - This week, Marriott International’s new Chief Executive Officer, Arne Sorenson visited Brazil for the first time to immerse himself in the Brazilian market and greet nearly 1000 Marriott associates at four different properties: the JW Marriott Rio de Janeiro, Marriott Executive Apartments Sao Paulo, The Renaissance Sao Paulo Hotel, and Marriott Sao Paulo Airport Hotel.

“We are thrilled to have Mr. Sorenson visit our hotels and pleased that he chose Brazil as his first visit as the new CEO of Marriott International”, said Gil Zanchi, Country Manager of Brazil and General Manager of the Renaissance Sao Paulo Hotel. “Brazil represents major growth potential for Marriott International”.

During his visit, Sorenson met with associates at the Renaissance Sao Paulo Hotel who are also Youth Career Initiative Program graduates, a six-month education program for high school graduates from disadvantaged backgrounds designed to empower young people by providing them with necessary life and vocational skills. In collaboration with the International Tourism Partnership’s Youth Career Initiative, Marriott has placed more than 1,600 young people on paths toward more promising futures.

“Marriott associates have career-long access to corporate training programs and services to support their total well-being. The company’s commitment to professional development is evident in the fact that more than 3,000 current managers began their Marriott careers in entry-level positions”, said Sorenson. “Our associates are extremely important to our business and they are the heart of our company’s culture.  Their talent, experience and dedication to service make it possible for us to serve millions of customers around the world.”

Visit Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE:MAR) for company information.

Connect with laura.botelho@marriott.com

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Marriott International Opens Doors for Hourly Workers

For the third consecutive year, Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR) has been named to Working Mother’s annual list of “Best Companies for Hourly Workers.”  Marriott was one of 12 companies named to this list which recognizes companies for having strong work-life cultures and best policies and programs for promoting women.  To see what the magazine specifically said about Marriott, visit http://www.workingmother.com/best-companies/marriott-international-9.

“We are extremely proud to be named to this select list focused on hourly workers.  Today, hourly employees make up more than 80 percent of the total workforce of 300,000 at our managed and franchised hotels worldwide.  They are truly the heart and soul of the company,” said David Rodriguez, executive vice president and chief human resources officer. “We are devoted to opening doors to opportunity for our hourly employees in much the same manner as they are devoted to providing exceptional experiences to our hotel guests every day.”
 
To support the company’s plans to add 30,000 rooms in 2012, Marriott expects to hire 60,000 employees this year alone.   

Marriott offers special benefits that support hourly associates.  These include training and promotion of hourly workers (more than 3,000 managers began their careers at Marriott in hourly positions, in addition, thousands more moved laterally, gaining new career experiences); innovation in workplace flexibility and scheduling practices; and multiple programs to help hourly associates gain skills that they say have made an incredible impact in their work and personal lives. 

[Pictured: Nona Davis, payroll specialist at the Key Bridge Marriott in Arlington, Va., is a perfect example of the promotion of hourly workers.  Davis started out at Marriott as a housekeeper at the Twin Bridges Marriott.  When management recognized her leadership abilities, she was quickly promoted to housekeeping supervisor at the Crystal City Marriott.  Her incredible dedication to assist colleagues and guests soon inspired managers to offer her an opportunity in Human Resources.]
 
The survey, conducted by the Working Mother Research Institute, found that women at the winning companies earned 56% of all promotions from hourly non-manager to non-exempt manager positions. One hundred percent of the companies named to the list offered their hourly workers personal and family health insurance benefits.

Jennifer Owens, editorial director of Working Mother Media, says, “This year’s Best Companies exemplify best-practices workplaces and cultures to help female hourly workers thrive. Most of the companies use the 70-20-10 rule: Focus 70% of your time on getting on-the-job experience, 20% on developing internal relationships and networks and 10% on formal training.”

Marriott will be recognized in May at a special awards ceremony called the “National Conference Supporting Hourly Workers 2012,” held at The Mayflower Renaissance Washington, DC hotel.  

For a summary of Marriott awards and recognition, including Marriott’s ranking on Working Mother’s Hall of Fame, and the “World’s Best Multinational Workplaces” by Great Place to Work® Institute, visit Awards and Recognition.

Visit Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR) for company information. For more information or reservations, please visit our web site at www.marriott.com, and for the latest company news, visit www.marriottnewscenter.com. 

Connect with elizabeth.mcglasson@marriott.com

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TownePlace Suites by Marriott at Baltimore/BWI Airport Partners with Johns Hopkins on the New Charles R. Bloomberg Children’s Center

When Johns Hopkins opens The Charlotte R. Bloomberg Children’s Center on April 29, 2012, each patient will have a handmade fleece blanket as a warm welcome to the $1.2 Billion state-of-the-art children’s hospital.

TownePlace Suites Baltimore/BWI Airport is the proud sponsor of this blanket program.  “It was all hands on deck” says General Manager, Michelle Emley, “when Patrice Brylske, Director of Child Life and Child Development reached out to our hotel inviting us to partner with them on making the patients move from the old facility to the new facility as smooth and comfortable as possible”.

“We know this can be a very delicate time for both the patients and parents and our team is over the moon to help out in any way we can” says Emley.  Everyone from staff to guests to clients and corporate management are coming together on February 23, 2012 for a blanket-making-kick-off-party to trim & cut 908 pieces of fabric and tie over 67,500 knots to make 454 blankets by opening day.

To find out how you can participate in this project, call the hotel directly at (410) 694-0060.  For more information about this hotel visit www.marriott.com/bwits or 800-357-2000.

About TownePlace Suites BWI
Located at 1171 Winterson Rd., Linthicum, MD 21090, TownePlace Suites Baltimore BWI Airport is the first LEED certified hotel in the BWI area.  The 136 room Linthicum hotel offers convenient access to Baltimore Washington International Airport, Baltimore Inner Harbor, Annapolis, Washington, D.C. and BWI Airport business corridor.  Rates vary depending on the length of stay.

TownePlace Suites by Marriott is an all-suite brand designed for long-stays with moderately priced rooms.  Launched in 1997, the brand currently has more than 170  locations in the United States.  TownePlace Suites Baltimore BWI Airport participates in the company’s award-winning Marriott Rewards® program, which enables members to earn their choice of points toward free vacations or frequent flyer mileage in their preferred airline program for dollars spent at more than 3,000 Marriott hotels in 56 countries.

Connect with Nina.Herrera-Davila@marriott.com

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Marriott’s Women Executives Help Lead the Way

National Association for Female Executives (NAFE) Recognizes Marriott.

Marriott International, Inc., (NYSE:MAR) was recognized by the National Association for Female Executives (NAFE) as one of the Top 50 Companies For Women in 2012.  Marriott was ranked in the top 15 on this list, which recognizes organizations whose policies and practices encourage the advancement of women. 
[Photo: Crystal Christmas-Watson, GM, Arlington Pentagon City Residence Inn and team.]

Today, women hold many powerful jobs at Marriott, ranging from president of a major operating division to global leader of sales and revenue management to general managers of some of the company’s most profitable hotels.  In addition, two of Marriott’s ten board members are women.

Carol Evans, president of Working Mother Media and CEO, NAFE, says, “The NAFE Top 50 Companies are major employers that are committed to hiring, retaining and promoting executive women. They represent a cross-section of companies that go way beyond lip service in helping women succeed.  Almost seven out of 10 companies require their managers to receive training on how to hire, advance or manage women. Manager accountability is the main ingredient for success.”

Marriott is being recognized for its Global Diversity and Inclusion Council, which ensures women’s development and advancement in revenue-generating and global leadership roles, and the Women's Leadership Development Initiative, which focuses on three pillars:  Leadership and Development, Networking and Mentoring, and Workforce Effectiveness. 

Last year, Marriott senior leaders across the country held “Evenings of Engagement.”  The objective of these events is for senior leaders to have meaningful interactions with managers to discuss their aspirations and share insight on methods to achieve career goals. In 2010, nearly 900 associates participated (62 percent women) in 34 events, and they continued to take place in 2011.

Marriott continues to enhance training options and promote a world of opportunities available to all associates. Last year, the company launched the redesigned career website Destination Marriott, inviting job seekers to find the “career journey that is right for you.”

For a summary of Marriott awards and recognition, including Marriott’s ranking on Working Mother’s Hall of Fame, visit Awards and Recognition.

Methodology:  The 2012 NAFE Top 50 Companies application includes more than 250 questions on topics including female representation, hiring, attrition and promotion rates, access and usage of key retention and advancement programs. The application draws particular attention to the number of women at the highest ranks and those with profit-and-loss responsibility. To be considered, companies must have a minimum of two women on their board of directors as well as at least 500 employees in the U.S.

About NAFE
The National Association for Female Executives (NAFE), founded in 1972 serves 20,000 members nationwide with networking, tools and solutions to strengthen and grow their careers and businesses. Working Mother magazine publishes the annual Top Companies and the Women of Excellence lists.  NAFE.com provides up-to-date information, community for women in business and access to member benefits. NAFE is a division of Working Mother Media, owned by the Bonnier Corporation. 2012 marks the 40th anniversary of NAFE.

Visit Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR) for company information. For more information or reservations, please visit our web site at www.marriott.com, and for the latest company news, visit www.marriottnewscenter.com. 

Connect with elizabeth.mcglasson@marriott.com

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A New “Golden Age of Travel” Will Create Jobs Worldwide and Boost the Global Economy

Exclusive Study of Global Opinion Leaders Reveals that Travel Breaks Down Cultural Barriers and Promotes Soft Diplomacy.

DAVOS-KLOSTERS, SWITZERLAND - In a global study released today at the World Economic Forum, it was revealed that international travel is considered even more important than the Internet, TV/movies, or political diplomacy at stimulating the economy and breaking down cultural barriers.  The independent study was conducted by Penn Schoen Berland on behalf of Marriott International (NYSE: MAR) and included the views of 1,100 global travelers and opinion leaders from eight countries, including Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States. [Download Study.] [See below for slideshow of additional images.]
Ninety-six percent of respondents, who ranged in age from under 35 to over 50 years old, believed that travel and tourism stimulates the economy, while 77 percent felt that “the more people experience other countries and cultures, the more peace will spread.” 

“I believe we are entering a “Golden Age of Travel,” where opportunities to do business and travel abroad are opening up like never before,” said Arne Sorenson, Marriott International’s CEO-elect and current president, pointing to the number of international arrivals, which have doubled in the last 20 years and will reach 1 billion in 2012 (UN World Tourism Organization).  “Travel opens up your mind, your heart and your wallet. This survey shows it is also a powerful form of soft diplomacy in the world today.”

"Bringing down barriers to travel creates jobs and prosperity and we applaud President Obama's announcement to reform U.S. visa and entry systems to welcome more international visitors.  We look forward to even more progress in the U.S. and around the world to develop multi-national solutions that will grow the travel industry and benefit economies and people worldwide."

According to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), the industry is predicted to account for an extra 69 million net jobs by 2021, including direct, indirect and induced employ¬ment-- almost 80 percent of which will be in Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa.  Put another way, one American job is created for every 35 international visitors to the U.S., according to the U.S. Travel Association.  Marriott plans to fill about 60,000 jobs in 2012 alone, with two-thirds of those being in countries outside the U.S., where more than 50 percent of its hotel pipeline resides. 

WTTC estimates that total contributions of Travel & Tourism to the global gross domestic product (GDP) are forecast to rise by 4.2 percent annually to US $9.2 trillion by 2021.  Visitor exports—or the amount visitors spend in a given foreign country—will increase 6.6 percent annually through 2021, rising to US $1.8 trillion by 2021.  As an example, in New York City alone, Brazilians spent a total of $1.63 billion, topping the $1.42 billion spent by travelers from the U.K., the $1.27 billion spent by Canadians and the $1.1 billion spent by Italians, according to NYC & Co., the city’s tourism board.

“We already knew that travel and tourism have a major impact on the economy, but now we also know that it can change people’s views worldwide,” says Mark Penn, CEO of Penn Schoen Berland and CEO of Burson-Marsteller.  “International travelers advance people’s understanding of different cultures and reinforce all that we as humans have in common with each other.”

Visit Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR) for company information. For more information or reservations, please visit our web site at www.marriott.com, and for the latest company news, visit www.marriottnewscenter.com.

Connect with felicia.mclemore@marriott.com, 301.380.2702

 

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