Marriott Launches Digital Travel and Lifestyle Publication

In a move to provide consumers with more meaningful travel destination content and information, Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAR) is launching on its website Marriott.com.

In a move to provide consumers with more meaningful travel destination content and information, Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAR) is launching on its website Marriott.com. Today, many travelers begin their planning process by researching destinations and the best ways to experience them before seeking out hotel accommodations. With Marriott Traveler, the company will produce valuable destination and travel content that is unexpected, informative, and definitely not found in tourist guides.     

The thematic content will range from Art, Music, Fashion, Wellness, Family, Food, Drink and more. It will be authored by multiple sources, including digital influencers, such as YouTube travel expert Sonia Gil (Sonia’s Travels) and by the Marriott Creative and Content Studio, writing partners, Marriott Rewards Insiders community and Marriott’s own associates. All the content produced will be original, authentic and never ghostwritten.

Said David Beebe, vice president, Creative and Content Marketing, “Marriott Traveler will offer consumers authentic travel stories and experiences from across the world written by local and global influencers passionate where they live and where they travel. The concept behind Marriott Traveler fits neatly into our worldwide content strategy of developing engaging content that builds communities of people and drives commerce to our hotels. It is our belief consumers appreciate well-crafted content that provides value to them, and they in turn will provide value back to us.”

Marriott Traveler is a joint effort between the Marriott Creative and Content Studio and Marriott Digital. The travel and lifestyle publication expects to launch nearly 300 pieces of destination content over the next three months beginning with these popular locations: New Orleans, Chicago and Orlando. Plans are in the works to add more cities globally in the future.

“We are focused on producing engaging and informative content created for the way people research and purchase travel online.” said Andy Kauffman, vice president, Digital Marketing & Marriott.com. “Launching Marriott Traveler, expands the value our website brings to consumers, particularly younger business and leisure travelers who want to experience something unique during their travels and share their adventures with their social networks.”

Guests will be able to interact with the content through a new dedicated section of Marriott.com (traveler.marriott.com) or through blogs and social media channels for Marriott and its brands – Google+, YouTube, Twitter, Tumblr, and Facebook.

Sonia Gil, an entrepreneur and travel vlogger, who co-created and hosts Sonia's Travels, said, “I'm very excited to work with Marriott.  I have put in a lot of effort to find the characters, places and on-the-pulse insights that travelers will appreciate.  The places I visit are the main characters. I am going along for the ride and letting the content drive the conversation.”