Marriott launches new Travel Agent Website

Marriott International 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 Hotel Excellence! (HE) travel agent training program to peruse and reserve Fam-Tastic rates and other special packages.

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 offers 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 also 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.

The new web site address is www.marriott.com/travelagents.

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