Marriott International has identified health protocol options, including COVID-19 testing, which meeting professionals may select for group meetings at certain Marriott branded hotels in the United States beginning in January 2021. These optional health protocols build upon initiatives already in place as part of the recent launch of “Connect with Confidence,” a program targeting meeting professionals.
Starting in January, meeting professionals may select optional health protocols for meetings and events at Gaylord Hotels and Resorts in Florida, Tennessee, Texas and Colorado. In the weeks that follow, the health protocols are expected to be available at certain other Marriott branded hotels in the U.S.
Optional health protocols for meeting professionals to consider include:
- Self-administered COVID-19 tests taken by the guest prior to travel
- COVID-19 testing administered by a third-party testing provider on site at the hotel
- Daily and/or pre-arrival health screening questions via a dedicated mobile application
- Daily temperature checks to enter the event area
The company isn’t alone in this offering. For instance, on the boutique side of things, guests at the 31-room Casa Gangotena in Quito, Ecuador can arrange for an authorized Quito-based laboratory to administer in-room rapid-result tests. (The cost ranges from US$80 — US$120 depending on the lab; guests can pay the lab directly by credit card or in cash, or charge it to their hotel bill, with a 10% service charge.)