Marriott on the Move

I've always been a big fan of Willard Scott. I love to watch him on The Today Show when he showcases Americans who have celebrated their 100th birthdays. In fact, I used to tell my mom I was sure she'd live to be 100, but she didn't quite make it. She was so excited about the possibility of being on Willard's show.

So it was with great pleasure that I cut the birthday cake as our Marriott Plaza Hotel in Buenos Aires celebrated its 100th birthday. This hotel has been in the Marriott portfolio since 1994, and we're honored to fly our flag at such a prestigious hotel so rich with history and to celebrate such a wonderful occasion.

As I looked at the guest list, I found out that Teddy Roosevelt stayed at the Plaza, along with Charles de Gaulle and King Juan Carlos of Spain. I first stayed at the hotel in 1967 when . . .

While it's been a very difficult week since the tragic incidents in our hotels in Jakarta, Indonesia, we are so heartened by the outpouring of support from around the world and the resilience of our guests and associates at the JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton.

Our President of International Lodging, Ed Fuller, visited the two hotels, as well as two hospitals in Jakarta where survivors were being treated. Many of the guests were regulars at the hotels, and they encouraged Ed to open for business as soon as possible. Associates he spoke with told him how the hotel remains at the very center of their lives and is a very important part of the Jakarta community. Ed was struck by their amazing spirit and, while they . . .

There's a lot of debate among economists and business leaders about whether we're headed towards a recovery in the second half of this year. While we've seen some optimism, the data in the United States is mixed. Here at Marriott, we reported our second quarter earnings last week and our industry is always an interesting bellwether of the global economy. If business leaders feel confident, they're going to book meetings and plan travel. If consumers feel confident about their job and their income, they'll go on vacation, even if it may be just a weekend getaway.

The good news is that occupancy is stabilizing as leisure customers take advantage of the great deals out there, booking their vacations, weddings and family reunions. But corporate business continues to decline. There's no clear sign when it will recover. Similarly, the pipeline of new hotels to be built in the United States has slowed down because mortgage financing is scarce. However, we're still signing management agreements around the world and just announced our first hotel in Hanoi. It'll be a stunning 450-room JW Marriott in the city's dynamic Tu Liem District next to . . .

We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of life and injuries that resulted from the apparent suicide bombings today at the JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hotels in Jakarta, Indonesia. We appreciate all the words of support that have come in from members of our extended Marriott family around the world. In honor of the victims of today's terrible act of violence, our flag at Marriott headquarters is flying at half staff.

In recognition of the unfortunate realities in which we live, we have had rigorous security procedures in place at these hotels and others around the world. I want to personally assure you that the safety and security of our guests and associates has been, and will always be, one of our highest priorities.

We are currently doing our best to take care of the guests, associates and their families at the two hotels. We are also cooperating closely with the authorities as . . .

Our deepest sympathies go out to the victims of the tragic bombings that took place earlier today in Jakarta, Indonesia. Immediately following the incident, police and hotel security responded and sealed off the area. Our guests at both properties were evacuated and moved to other nearby hotels. Injured guests and hotel employees were taken to the hospital for treatment. Both hotels sustained damage, but it does not appear to be structural. At the time of the incident, extensive security procedures were in place at the Ritz-Carlton and the JW Marriott. We continue to work closely with the authorities and hope to reopen the hotels soon. As always, the safety and security of our guests and associates is our top priority.

For guest information, please contact the Marriott Family Assistance Hotline at 866/211-4610 or 402/390-3265.

Our Executive Vice President of Marriott's global full-service hotel brands, Don Semmler, recently asked why we used the family name on our first hotel almost 60 years ago. My father had acquired a large piece of land on U.S. Route 1 in Northern Virginia. He wanted to build a new commissary to service his growing chain of Hot Shoppes restaurants. But as he studied the location, he determined it had over 125,000 cars passing by every day as they approached the 14th Street Bridge entering Washington. He also knew he was only five minutes from National Airport and three minutes from the Pentagon. It seemed to him that this location was generating far too much traffic for a simple commissary. So he thought about what would be a better use for the property.

It was 1953 and Dwight D. Eisenhower was president and about to develop the Interstate Highway program. Motels were being built everywhere, but most were not very high quality. So Dad decided his location was a perfect motel site. He asked the Ver Standig ad agency, which did our Hot Shoppes promotion, what he should call his new venture. Well, somewhere in the Fort Worth, Texas, area a motor hotel had been built and Mr. Ver Standig said my father should call it a "Motor Hotel". He then said we needed a name to go with the motor hotel in a rhythmic way. Ver Standig suggested we use the brand "Marriott Motor Hotel" for our proposed 365-room facility.

I told Don Semmler the ad agency Said "Marriott Motor Hotel" had tintinnabulation. I said . . .