By BW Hotelier

MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL and TripAdvisor have announced they are expanding their partnership and will add Marriott’s global hotel portfolio to the TripAdvisor Instant Booking platform. Starting later this summer, travelers shopping for hotel rooms on TripAdvisor will be able to make a booking at any of Marriott’s more than 4,200 hotels around the world without leaving the TripAdvisor site experience.
The agreement also signifies a strategic partnership between Marriott and TripAdvisor to introduce new customers to Marriott’s portfolio of 19 brands.
’TripAdvisor is a perfect partner for Marriott, both strategically and culturally,’ said Arne Sorenson, CEO and president of Marriott International, Inc. ’Our new agreement demonstrates how the growth strategies for our two companies are aligned in the travel space.’
’TripAdvisor has created a new distribution model that changes the game in the travel industry by addressing key concerns of hotel suppliers,’ said Shafiq Khan, senior vice president, channel strategy and distribution of Marriott International, Inc. ’The result is mutually beneficial to both partners from a strategic and economic standpoint. Marriott’s partnership with TripAdvisor will make it easy for consumers to book with our hotels, and allows Marriott to build a direct relationship with these guests even before arrival. The agreement also maintains our ability to control where the rates and inventory for Marriott’s hotels are displayed. Our partnership will continue to enable us to offer the best benefits, such as Marriott Rewards and Ritz-Carlton Rewards points to our customers who choose to book directly on our channels, including Marriott.com.’
TripAdvisor first launched its Instant Booking platform to U.S. consumers in June 2014, with a gradual roll out to other international markets expected over time. The platform provides an efficient hotel booking experience for travelers.
With Instant Booking, travelers may simply click on the ’Book on TripAdvisor’ button to initiate a reservation. TripAdvisor reminds consumers throughout the process that their booking is powered by Marriott and provides the traveler with links and phone numbers to contact the hotel’s customer service associates directly. Unlike with other intermediaries, all customer support inquiries will be handled by Marriott representatives.
’We are excited to deepen our strategic partnership with Marriott International, an innovative hospitality leader,’ said Stephen Kaufer, president and CEO of TripAdvisor. ’We welcome Marriott to the Instant Booking platform, which provides travelers with a new, simplified booking functionality and an opportunity for Marriott to expand its relationship with guests before, during and after the trip.’