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December 17, 2020 Owner & Franchise Webinars, Management Company Webinars, COVID-19 FMC Webinars, FMC Weekly Webinars

December 17, 2020 | Franchise Management Company Webinar – COVID19

 
Publication of new Owner & Franchise Communications on mi360 continues to be temporarily suspended. Important information is communicated to owners, franchisees and franchise management companies through other channels including the weekly U.S. & Canada Franchise Update email, Franchise Management Company webinar, and monthly webinar for Marriott Managed Owners in the U.S.

Thank you for joining us on Thursday, December 17 for the Franchise Management Company Webinar – COVID-19. If you were unable to join, a recording and PDF of the presentation are now available (EID and password required).

This webinar covered COVID-19 updates and resources, including:

Sales, Marketing and Revenue Management Updates

Topline Trends

  1. Continue to expect business travel to lag leisure, with some permanent drop.
  2. Macroeconomic and consumer financial strength will impact the return to normalcy.
  3. Preliminary takeaways from the December travel trends survey of POV by Marriott community members suggest minimal travel through Q1 2021.

Extended LOI Limits For Arrivals Up To Sept. 2021

  • Back in May LOI was updated from $20k to up to $100k in the U.S. and $50k in Canada
  • We are expanding the arrival date that these higher thresholds could be used through Labor Day 2021

Community Caregiver Rate

The Community Caregiver & Vaccine Distribution Rate program continues to show Marriott International’s appreciation to those on the COVID-19 front lines.  This rate will be available on travel through March 31, 2021 at participating hotels.

Effective Dec. 18, 2020, we are expanding the criteria to also be applicable to those individuals involved with the development, manufacturing and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics

For more information,  please see the Program Overview and Guidance  and  Rate Offer Guidelines.  For any questions, contact RMFieldSupport@marriott.com.

Group Commission Compliance Program Reminder

All Marriott International branded hotels in the U.S. and Canada shall pay up to 7% in commissions on actualized room revenue for group business on agreements signed on or after March 31, 2018

  • Intermediaries are using these times of need to sway our hotels away from our 7% policy in exchange for securing the business.  It’s critical that all hotels continue to comply in support of this strategy to improve the profitability of group business.
  • Compliance has been good, please continue to remind your hotels and sales associates of the brand standard.

Deadline for COVID Rebooking:  The deadline is approaching for those groups shifting their program dates due to COVID.  Please note that in order to qualify for the original contracted 10% commission, the group needs to be rebooked no later than Dec. 31, 2020 for a future arrival no later than 2022.

Changes to TBMP in 2021

The charge rate on the individual stays generated by Transaction Based Media Program (TBMP) will decrease from 9% to 8%

  • The charge rate for stays from the affiliate program will also decrease from 9% to 8%
  • In Q1, the affiliate program will also be merged into TBMP to streamline the overall process.  This combined program will be called TBMP
  • Both TBMP and Affiliate program generate booking revenue from consumers who are researching and planning travel
  • Helps hotels become more competitive in shifting share from OTAs while driving more room nights at points where people make purchasing decisions 
  • Hotels only pay for completed stays that result from a click

These lower charge rates are expected to be in place for Jan. 1, 2021.

  • Hotels will still be able to see the same TBMP reporting, through the SRC8 reports in MRDW.  During Q1, affiliate stays will also be added into these reports.

Please note your hotels will see all TBMP and affiliate bookings appear in one combined section, called “Transaction Based Media Program.” Ensure appropriate associates are aware of the change in advance.

Consumer Email Marketing Standard

There are GDPR and other privacy and email regulations. The Consumer Email Marketing Standard clarifies inconsistent policies, applied globally to all hotels in all brands. The standard:

  • Protects hotels, owners, MI, and guests
  • Ensures an appropriate, customer-friendly cadence of email
  • Facilitates orchestrated communications across channels (email, app, social, web)
  • Ensures proper usage of Marriott intellectual property (logos, photos)

A few reminders about Email Marketing:

  • Marriott hotels may not conduct independent B2C email marketing
  • Hotels may only use the approved, enterprise email platform for all consumer-facing emails
  • Marriott operates a robust enterprise email platform that should meet the needs of nearly all hotels in the system
  • Transactional emails associated with a reservation (e.g., e-confo, pre-arrival, post-stay)
  • Optional, pay-as-you-go email platforms (METT and Local Campaign Builder) – with enhancements coming in January
  • Extensive, always-on email marketing operated on behalf of all hotels (e.g., search retargeting, Loyalty lifecycle, continent, cobrand/partner, ad hoc)
  • Not in scope: B2B email marketing

For more information, visit the Email Marketing Platform (SMRM-067) and/or the Consumer Email Marketing Standard MGS page.

Operations Updates

New Optional Healthcare Protocols Toolkit

Enabling Marriott to further strengthen consumer confidence in our ability to execute large group meetings, the Connect with Confidence New Optional Health Protocols toolkit is an internal resource that provides critical operational guidance, shares best practices from hotels, and offers continually-updated COVID-19 testing protocols, partners and solutions. View the toolkit and the press release. This is currently on available to hotels in the U.S., a toolkit for hotels in Canada will be shared in Q1. 

Resources & Reminders

Date

Details

Link

Dec. 26

Complete mHUB Pre-Launch Training 

In preparation for the transition from myHR to mHUB on Dec. 26, associates should complete the required mHUB training, accessible via the Digital Learning Zone (DLZ), to learn more about the platform. Managers of Others, HR professionals, and Recruiters, as well as Finance professionals and Payroll Administrators in the U.S., will see additional pre-launch training in their mHUB learning path to teach them how to execute key transactions. Point-of-need training on specific functions, like Recruiting and Explore, will be made available at launch. Use the Preparation Flyer (US | CAN) to share upcoming deadlines with associates. 

  

Dec. 31

Review New Cvent Pricing and Contract Accordingly 

New terms and pricing have been agreed upon with Cvent for Diamond Packages and Passkey. Hotels should work with their franchise management companies to review the contract options and terms prior to entering into or extending contracts with Cvent. The deadline to contract with Cvent is Dec. 31, 2020. 

MGS I memo

Dec. 31

Respond to all Laynon Group Leads/RFPs prior to Platform Sunset 

Beginning Jan. 1, 2021, the Lanyon Group application will no longer be available to all users (Above Property, Managed & Franchised Properties and Meeting Planners). All Lanyon user logins will be deactivated automatically, and all leads/RFPs will no longer be accessible to users after 11:59pm ET on Dec. 31, 2020. Please note that leads/RFPs in Lanyon will not migrate to Cvent. Reach out to Cvent Support, to request a list of RFPs after the sunset date. For any additional questions, reach out to AskSales.  

  

Dec. 31

Review Priceline® Sponsored Ads Available in PLUS Platform and Take Advantage of the 30% Match Program

Priceline® Sponsored Ads will increase a property’s visibility on Priceline.com, helping to accelerate bookings and drive revenue for hotels. Bid & budget automaton will be available for Priceline® Sponsored Ads through the PLUS Platform, simplifying activation and management of this new channel.  Now through Dec. 31, 2020, Priceline is offering a 30% match on all funds deposited into Priceline® Sponsored Ads through the PLUS Platform. Click here to view the brochure. 

MGS 

Dec. 31

Complete December Commitment to Clean Certification 

The December Commitment to Clean Certification is due by Dec. 31 at 5pm ET.  Global Quality will be sending a targeted email to all incomplete properties on Monday, Dec. 21, 2020.

  

Jan. 1, 2021

BRG Violations will be Billed to Hotels

Effective Jan. 1, 2021, any associated charges from observed BRG violations in the Supernova rate shopping tool will be billed to hotels. Visit MGS for resources on the program, including a Violation Avoidance Best Practices Document, or email RateIntegrity@marriott.com

  

Now – Mar. 31, 2021

Cancellation Policy

The flexible reservation policies are being extended as follows:

  • In general, for guests with existing reservations made before July 6, 2020, for any future arrival date, the policies that were in place at the time of reservation, or as previously communicated, will continue to be honored.
  • For guests with reservations made on or after July 6, 2020, for arrival dates through Mar. 31, 2021, we will allow the reservation to be changed or cancelled at no charge up to 24 hours before the scheduled arrival date. Reservations with pre-paid rates and other limited exclusions will be subject to the rate offer rules communicated at the time of reservation. Please note that changes to the reservation will be subject to availability and any rate differences.
  • For guests making new reservations for arrival dates on or after April 1, 2021, individual hotel cancellation policies in place at the time of reservation will apply.
  

March 2021

Adjusted Timeline for 2021 American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) & Hotel Association of Canada (HAC) Annual Assessments 

Throughout 2020, AHLA (U.S.) & HAC (Canada) have been working diligently to represent the lodging industry and lobby for relief for hotels and associates. We encourage all hotels to participate in the annual membership in support of these critical efforts. Given the continuing margin pressure due to the business impacts of COVID-19, 2021 billing will occur in June (versus March). Details regarding the opt-out process will be shared in March. 

  

April 1, 2021

Legacy Module Owners to Review Available Options and Take Action prior to Hotel Website Legacy Sunset

The Marriott Digital Services (MDS) Studio team is excited to announce the launch of Discovery Pages (formerly ‘Modules Accelerated’), which are branded extensions of hotel websites that display content and offerings unique to the property. As communicated at the end of 2019, the Legacy Module product will sunset on April 1, 2021 and all content will be permanently erased. Legacy Module owners have three options: (1) retire their Module by Dec. 31, 2020, (2) migrate to a Discovery Pages product before March 1, 2021, or (3) take no action and incur a $75 pro-rated 2021 annual hosting fee. Visit the MDS Client Community and click “My Programs & Services” to see all active products associated with a hotel, as well as instructions on how to retire a Legacy Module. 

MGS

Please also note the following resources: