Preferred Travel Agencies Offered Direct Commission Deposit;
Easier Site Navigation, Other Services Enjoyed by All Agencies
Dubai, October 19, 2004 - Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE:MAR) today unveiled a newly designed travel agent web site that offers its Preferred Travel Agencies (PTA)* commission direct deposit, 24-hour online commission statement access and research capabilities. The new site enables graduates of the award-winning Hotel Excellence!** (HE) travel agent training program to peruse and reserve Fam-Tastic*** rates and other special packages. The new look of the site makes it easier for the general travel agent community to navigate its new features. Some new attributes include a brand comparison tool and a 24-hour internet help desk.
The new site is the result of months of focus groups and face-to-face meetings with travel agents around the world to determine what travel agents really want in a site.
The new web site address is www.marriott.com/travelagents.
According to Fred Miller, vice president for global sales, "Marriott International has a legacy with travel agencies of treating them as business partners. Our goal is to help travel agents improve their profitability, grow their knowledge of the product, enhances their selling skills and give them a competitive edge by providing them with tools to better serve their clients and manage their business."
Mr. Miller continued to say, "When we interviewed our Preferred Travel Agencies, they told us they wanted faster commissions, easier access to information that will assist the sales process, 24-hour support and self-service commission inquiry access. Thus, we designed a site to meet their needs."
Features of Marriott's New Preferred Travel Agency Secure Site (NEW):
All Marriott Preferred Travel Agencies will receive a set of passwords (administrative and delegate) to this secure site, giving them access to the following services.
Online commission statements - Agencies can view commission statements for up to 12 months. (available October, 2004)
Online commission searches and inquiries - Self-service searches on commission status with real-time results for departures during the past 12 months
Commission direct deposit - Ability to register to receive commission payments via direct deposit (currently available for agencies electing to receive payment in US Dollar to a U.S. bank account; other currencies will be available soon)
Features of Marriott's New Secure Hotel Sales Specialist (HSS) Exclusive Site:
HSS bulletins and news, including exclusive specials and promotions for Hotel Excellence! Graduates (NEW)
Fam-Tastic familiarization rate search and online booking capability
Ability to update agency and/or address information online with immediate verification (NEW)
General Features of Marriott's New Site:
New design and easier navigation
Hotel Excellence! training and exam available in eight languages, which can be downloaded or can now be taken online for immediate results (NEW)
Special hotel offers section
Hotel search and reservation capability for client and travel industry rates
Online brand comparison tool (NEW)
24-hour Internet Help Desk
Marriott continues to be the only hotel company worldwide to offer a double commission guarantee. The program (through its CTAC payment System) guarantees that a travel agent who makes a reservation at a commissionable rate using a valid IATA, ARC, TSI or TIDS number will have his or her commission check mailed within 15 business days of the guest's checkout, or else Marriott will double the commission. (Marriott Executive Apartments and Ritz-Carlton properties do not participate in the double commission guarantee program.)
Marriott offers all participating Pegasus Travel agencies a double commission guarantee if Marriott does not forward accurate commission information to Pegasus for payment within Pegasus's business cycle.
For questions or issues with the new site, agents can contact Marriott Travel Agency Services at tas.rep@marriott.com, (800) 831-3100 (toll-free in the United States) or
(00) 1- 402 -390-1651 outside the United States.
*Preferred Travel Agency (PTA) Program - Marriott preferred travel agency program guarantees a 10 percent commission every time a travel agent books a Marriott lodging product (began in 1999).
**Hotel Excellence - The "first" hotel sponsored educational program designed to maximize a travel agent's success in selling hotels. The program is available in eleven languages and currently has 85,000 graduates (began in 1999).
*** Fam-Tastic Travel Agent Familiarization Program - Enables ARC- and IATA- appointed travel agents who have successfully completed Hotel Excellence! training to stay at participating Marriott hotels and resorts for a special rate of $49-$89 on a space-available basis.
-Ends-
MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL, INC. (NYSE:MAR) is a leading lodging company with nearly 2,800 lodging properties in the United States and 69 other countries and territories. Marriott International operates and franchises hotels under the Marriott, JW Marriott, The Ritz-Carlton, Renaissance, Residence Inn, Courtyard, TownePlace Suites, Fairfield Inn, SpringHill Suites, Ramada International and Bulgari brand names; develops and operates vacation ownership resorts under the Marriott Vacation Club International, Horizons, The Ritz-Carlton Club and Marriott Grand Residence Club brands; operates Marriott Executive Apartments; provides furnished corporate housing through its Marriott ExecuStay division; and operates conference centers. The company is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and has approximately 128,000 employees. In fiscal year 2003, Marriott International reported sales from continuing operations of $9 billion. For more information or reservations, please visit our web site at www.marriott.com.
CONTACT:
Pooja Chaudhary
Bates PanGulf Public Relations
+ 971 4 2953456
e-mail: pooja@batespangulf.com
© Press Release 2004
