Marriott International’s Hotel Excellence! Program Certifies Over 128,000 Graduates Worldwide

Industry Leading Program Offers Interactive Online Program in Additiona to the Original Format.

Bethesda, MD .-Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE:MAR) is pleased to announce that it has graduated more than 128,000 travel agents in 144 countries from its famed Hotel Excellence! (HE!) program. This industry leading, self-paced training program, first introduced in 1999, was developed to maximize travel agents’ success in selling hotels for individual travel. The program, offered in nine languages, instructs travel agents on how to recommend a more customized lodging solution, thus increasing customer satisfaction with the agent and hotel stay.

“The continued global success of our Hotel Excellence! program is indicative of the pivotal role that travel agents play in our business,” said Julius Robinson, vice president of sales intermediaries for Marriott International. “We recognize their invaluable contribution to our success around the world and we continue to find ways to enhance the program to better suit their needs.”

The online training program offers audio, photography, interactive exercises, printable “take-away” information and a resource library. The training modules are designed to provide general information about Marriott International’s ten lodging brands. Upon completion of the modules, agents take five ten-question, multiple-choice tests on the interactive site. All of the module test results are provided instantly.

In 2007, Marriott announced a new interactive online format to replace the original workbook-based travel agent training program. The redesigned online program can be accessed by visiting www.marriott.com/travelagents or by visiting https://hotelexcellence.marriott.com. Since 2007, Marriott has certified more than 13,000 travel agents from around the world using the new program.

The program is offered in eight languages other than English; including French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, and Turkish.

Passing Hotel Excellence! is the first step in becoming a Preferred Travel Agency (PTA). Marriott’s Preferred Travel Agency Program offers a preferred commission status and special benefits for participating travel agencies. Graduates of Marriott’s Hotel Excellence! program who hold a valid IATAN card are also eligible for Marriott’s deeply discounted Fam-Tastic® rates.