Marriott CEO says agent relationships ‘have to be tended’

www.travelweekly.com, Jamie Biesiada
Marriott International plans to continue to engage in dialogue with the travel agent community after its acquisition of Starwood Hotels & Resorts to ensure the company has a strong relationship with the trade, CEO Arne Sorenson told Travel Weekly during the ASTA Global Convention here. 

Sorenson — fresh off addressing convention attendees and accepting ASTA’s Hotel of the Year award — was asked about Marriott’s relationship with the agency community, as well as Starwood’s, which has historically been viewed by some as more agent-friendly.

“I guess that’s not my perception coming into this,” Sorenson said. “I think our relationships with the travel agent community are excellent — not without bumps every now and then, but excellent.” FULL STORY