It's been two years since Hurricane Katrina devastated the United States Gulf Coast. I've traveled to New Orleans twice since then and toured the city. I've visited with our associates and watched as they worked hard to reopen the hotels.
I spent a lot of time with our people and witnessed their suffering. Many had no place to live so we moved their families into our hotels. We focused a lot of energy on raising money for them and provided funding and support for the efforts to restore the community as well.
We even started a disaster relief fund. We've raised more than $5 million and our family foundation contributed $1 million in a matching grant. Many of our associates donated their vacation time so their colleagues could have time off to get their lives back together. We responded in a lot of other ways too.
I've seen the progress being made by the city and even though the hotel business in New Orleans is not as great as it was before, it's coming back very well. We're very pleased with the progress the tourism industry in New Orleans is making.
Through the local hotel association, our hotels are going to build more homes with Habitat for Humanity. Our associates have worked on some buildings already. To make it safer for kids to play, we're building playgrounds with the non-profit organization KaBOOM! They found an elementary school that needed some help and our associates built a playground for the kids in one day. We're going to do another later this year.
On the business front, our 1,200 room New Orleans Marriott is undergoing a huge renovation. It will be like a brand new hotel when it's done later this year. Our guests will enjoy the new lobbies, ballrooms and restaurants. And we've launched a new marketing campaign too to attract vacationers and convention business to this wonderful city.
Seeing is believing. While some neighborhoods have a long way to go, I was very surprised to see the French Quarter come back as good as, or better than, it was before Katrina. I hope you'll go and see for yourselves. Our associates in New Orleans have a passion for their hometown and for welcoming guests. The rates are low and they could sure use the business.
I'm Bill Marriott and thank you for helping me keep Marriott on the move.
Iwould like to say that none of my friends from overseas will be staying at any of your Hotels they thought it was shocking that you can only get into your room at 3pm on arrival when you have been travelling a long distance we now go to smaller Hotels and can get in at 1pm we have also asked to get into a room at an earlier time but they say only if one is available this is 2007 after all I hope you put this to your superiors. Regards Sanda Yule
Posted by: sandra yule | 09/13/2007 at 05:06 AM
It's things like this that make me very proud to be a stock holder.
Posted by: Gene Flick | 08/30/2007 at 03:13 AM
Today, on the second anniversary of Katrina's devestation of New Orleans, CNN's Glenn Beck opined on his show in very strong terms that New Orleans should not be rebuilt. I found his comments - his rant - to be insensitive and repugnant. I was surpised to see that Marriott Hotels was one of the show's sponsors. I strongly believe that Marriott should discontinue sponsorship of the Glenn Beck show.
Posted by: Steven Clark | 08/29/2007 at 02:50 PM