As part of ongoing steps to help instil confidence for meeting professionals and attendees, Marriott International has introduced optional COVID-19 testing.
Tests can be self-administered by guests prior to travel or administered by a third-party provider on-site at the hotel.
The initiative builds upon health protocols already in place as part of the recent launch of Connect with Confidence, a program empowering meeting professionals to identify and tailor solutions that best meet the needs of their attendees.
“We engaged industry-leading experts and through a thorough review process, identified third-party providers capable of offering the health protocols that meeting professionals want and need for future events,” says Tammy Routh, senior vice-president of global sales organization for Marriott International.
Meeting professionals may select COVID-19 testing for group meetings and events at certain Marriott branded hotels. Other options to consider are daily and/or pre-arrival health screening questions via a dedicated mobile application and daily temperature checks to enter the event area.
The new health protocols will supplement existing ones, including guest and associate face covering requirements, social distancing policies, reduced seating capacity for meetings, frequent cleaning of high-touch areas, hand sanitizing stations throughout the hotel, mobile technology and hybrid meetings.
In August 2020, Marriott introduced digital content and best practices to help meeting professionals execute future events. Then, in November, the first in a global series of hybrid virtual and in-person events was held in Virginia. The event showcased Marriott’s reimagined processes and meetings spaces, while reinforcing the company’s commitment to help meeting professionals in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
