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Marriott has announced the launch of the ‘Good Travel with Marriott Bonvoy’ program which the hotelier says is aimed at creating opportunities for its guests in the Asia Pacific region to engage with local communities and their local environment during their stay.
Good Travel With Marriott Bonvoy
15 Marriott properties across the Asia Pacific region are now offering their guests experiences that Marriott says have been designed to focus on “three distinct pillars”:
- Environmental Protection – These are experiences that aim to support the local natural environment by highlighting environmental degradation, pollution, and climate change.
- Community Engagement – These are experiences that aim to “create a positive impact” in the areas local to the properties where guests are staying through cultural education or volunteerism.
- Marine Conservation – These are experiences that aim to “restore and preserve” marine ecosystems and species.
Marriott has given a flavor of what the Good Travel With Marriott Bonvoy program offers with the following statement:
“From mangrove conservation in Fiji, coral transplanting and restoration in Okinawa and Maldives, beach cleanups in Sanya and Busan, to food redistribution in Bali, Good Travel with Marriott Bonvoy provides guests with the opportunity to contribute meaningfully as they explore and build deeper connections in their local communities at home or as they venture overseas when travel resumes.”
The 15 hotels participating in the pilot program are:
- The Ritz-Carlton, Nanjing
- JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Shanghai Pudong
- W Guangzhou
- The Sanya EDITION
- Sheraton Grand Zhengzhou Hotel
- Sheraton Hong Kong Tung Chung Hotel
- JW Marriott Mussoorie Walnut Grove Resort & Spa
- W Bali – Seminyak
- Sheraton Grand Bangalore Hotel at Brigade Gateway
- The Ritz-Carlton, Okinawa
- Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa
- JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa
- Fiji Marriott Resort Momi Bay
- The Westin Denarau Island Resort Fiji
- Fairfield by Marriott Busan Songdo Beach
The Marriott Bonvoy Asia webpage has all details of the various experiences being offered at the 15 properties named above.
Example Experiences
Environmental Protection
Sheraton Hong Kong Tung Chung Hotel – Put on a Beekeeper suit and learn more about honey from a farmer, including a bee’s crucial role in maintaining ecological balance.
Fairfield by Marriott Busan Songdo Beach – Learn about the severity of the situation and participate in beach cleaning to preserve the beauty and improve the ecological condition of Songdo Beach.
Sheraton Grand Zhengzhou Hotel – Join a private tour of the Henan Geological Museum, then learn concepts in environmental protection and experience handling fossils exclusively at the hotel.
Community Engagement
Sheraton Grand Bangalore Hotel – Visit the local village with instructors and interact with the local Chanapura community through activities such as English lessons, drawing, or learning about sustainable initiatives.
The Ritz-Carlton, Nanjing – Nanjing Yunjin brocade has been regarded as one of the best forms of silk. The traditional craftsmanship is now a diminishing trade. Learn about the history of Yunjin brocade and gain hands-on experience in this exquisite craft.
W Bali – Seminyak – One-third of all leftover food in the world is rotting in landfills while many struggle to put food on the table. Prepare meals from surplus food and ingredients which are then packed safely and delivered to the neediest across Bali.
Marine Conservation
The Ritz-Carlton, Okinawa – The corals around Okinawa are deteriorating due to worsening ocean conditions, but their vibrancy can be restored. Learn more about coral ecology, and experience coral planting.
JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa – Explore the hotel’s turtle shelter in collaboration with the Mai Khao Turtle Foundation to learn about issues impacting their survival and learn how to care for them.
Fiji Marriott Resort Momi Bay – Mangroves are essential habitats that protect the coastline of Fiji against sea-level changes and benefit diverse marine life. Through the experience, learn about the importance of maintaining and protecting Fiji’s delicate marine ecosystem and help plant new mangroves.
Bottom Line
The Good Travel with Marriott Bonvoy pilot aims to give guests in 15 Asia Pacific properties the opportunity to see their local area as a little more than just a place for a vacation and encourages them to interact with the people and the environment around them. As long as the experiences are “real” and not Disneyfied for the benefit of guests, this sounds like a worthwhile pilot and one that will hopefully lead to more Marriott properties offering experiences along similar lines in the very near future.
