Marriott on the Move

A few months ago, I blogged about a nice gift our TownePlace Suites team gave me “Just Because…”  The associates at our TownePlace Suites hotels across the country have been doing the same thing for their guests – providing them with a small token or kind gesture “Just Because…”

This past holiday season, our TownePlace Suites team took it one step further with a “Real Giving” campaign in their local communities.  The brand team and associates from all over the United States made fleece blankets that were donated to local children’s hospitals.

The devastating earthquake that hit Haiti on Tuesday has had aftershocks all over the world.  I am currently at our Harbor Beach Marriott in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where more than a third of our associates at this hotel are Haitian and have been directly affected by this terrible disaster.

There’s no doubt that 2009 was a difficult year.  But I’m optimistic as we begin the New Year that things will get better.  While we’re still very concerned about unemployment and the ability of companies to borrow money, economic activity is picking up.