Video: Marriott’s New Reservations System Could Be Its Secret Weapon in Direct Booking Wars

Merging three different loyalty programs into one isn't the only tricky technological feat that Marriott International has had to pull off following its $13.3 billion acquisition of Starwood Hotels & Resorts. A major part of that loyalty integration involved transferring all of Starwood's hotels onto Marriott's reservations system which, as some industry experts have pointed out, was more outdated than Starwood's system. Now, however, there's confirmation that not only will all of Marriott's more than 6,700 properties soon be operating on the same reservations system — but they will all soon be on the company's brand-new system that will allow the hotel company to enable guests to choose their own room, among other features. "We do have a new reservations platform that's rolling out this year," Marriott International CEO Arne Sorenson said at Skift Global Forum in New York. "There are some additional features that I think we will push," he added, noting the "ability t