WASHINGTON — Marriott International has thousands of hotels around the world and it wants to help you find exotic things to do when you get there, not just get a good night’s sleep.
Marriott has invested in a company called PlacePass, a provider of travel technology that helps travelers search for destination experiences, many of them unusual.
Marriott, which already has similar destination planning programs, says the PlacePass deal will add more than 100,000 authentic local experiences in 800 destinations worldwide when travelers book directly on Marriott.com or SPG.com, Starwood Hotel’s preferred guest portal.
Marriott recently completed its acquisition of Starwood Hotels & Resorts.
The PlacePass activities and tours will be available to guests beginning later this year.
Among things Marriott and PlacePass can arrange:
- A VIP tour exploring the filming locations for “Downton Abbey”
- Wrestling with a retired sumo wrestler in Tokyo
- Exploring the dunes of Dubai on a camel or with a 4×4
- Sunrise mountain biking tour through Cambodia’s Angkor Archaeological Park
- A private viewing of the crown jewels in the Tower of London
- A cooking class with a local Italian chef at a Tuscan farmhouse, a chateau in the Dolomites or a Florentine cooking school
“This is an incredibly exciting opportunity to partner with Marriott, an innovative hospitality leader, ” said Emily Bernard, chief brand officer and co-founder of PlacePass.
“Together with Marriott, we will connect guests to great experiences so they can make the most of their travels, connect with locals and discover the world in new ways,” she said.
Marriott’s loyalty programs have now passed 100 million members.
The company’s hotel properties now include 30 different brands with more than 6,000 hotels and resorts in 122 countries.
