Skift Travel Megatrend for 2016: The Big Turmoil in Big Hospitality
Mergers, killing brands, globalization, and an ongoing fear of Airbnb and its ilk will keep 2016 interesting and prepare the industry for a bit of needed evolution.
Marriott International News
The journey of the largest hotel chain in the world, Marriott International, Inc. – now with more than seven thousand hotel, residential, and timeshare properties – began with a root-beer stand in Washington, D.C. in 1927 started by J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott. Following its $13.3 billion acquisition of Starwood Hotels & Resorts in 2016, it became the largest global hotel company. It currently commands a mammoth portfolio of more than two dozen hotel brands such as JW Marriott Hotels, The Ritz-Carlton, The Luxury Collection, Delta Hotels, Marriott Vacation Club, Le Méridien, Sheraton Hotels and Resorts, Courtyard, Fairfield, and W Hotels. Its properties contain nearly a million and a half rooms worldwide. Through its premier loyalty program Bonvoy, it is engaged in partnerships with the likes of United Airlines, Uber, American Express, Hertz, and others to optimize customer engagement.
American Express Execs Wait to Find out Fate of Starwood’s Loyalty Program Like Everyone Else
There will be a lot of angry travelers if Marriott chooses to eliminate Starwood's loyalty program.
First Look at the Exclusive Rates Hilton Wrested From Expedia
Rate parity and most-favored nation provisions are slowly fading as Marriott and Hilton offer lower rates to new and existing loyalty program members on their own sites than Expedia and Booking.com can. Don't underplay the power of a several-dollar discount in the race toward bolstering loyalty-program rosters through the lure of bottom-of-the-heap pricing.
Hotels and Airlines Test Loyalties of Business Travelers With Match Programs
Will 2016 be the year of loyalty poaching? It could make things very interesting.
CES 2016 Review, GoPro Events and More in Skift MeetingsIQ
The 2016 meetings scene is all about making technology more seamless, user friendly and valuable for a broader spectrum of conference planners and attendees.
Understanding Marriott’s Vision of the Future of Meetings in 2016
The value of this meetings industry trends list over others is that it profiles the major macro level trends, versus all of the ancillary micro trends which stem from them.
The Inside Story of How Marriott Didn’t Want Starwood Until It Did
Marriott dueled with a U.S. hotel company, probably Hyatt, and a foreign one, for Starwood. In the end, Starwood liked Marriott's financial proposal, management and bigness.
7 Hotel Industry Experts on What It Means to Be Relevant Right Now
Brands refreshes are nothing new in the hotel industry, but what qualities make a hotel relevant today? Several industry experts weigh in on things like technology, design and how consumer behavior affects the ways in which trends get implemented.
Hotels Tried To Eliminate the Traditional In-Room Desk But Created a Backlash
Marriott and Holiday Inn Express are also looking to optimize space in guest rooms and appeal to changing traveler habits. The shift away from traditional desks got a failing grade from lots of customers.
How Travel Agents Tried to Get Back on Track in 2015
Travel agents showed some resiliency in 2015. They need to work on becoming a whole lot more visible, and useful, to consumers in 2016.