Bethesda, MD – Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE:MAR) announced today that its newly added Hotel Excellence! (HE!) training program modules are now offered in eight languages other than English; including French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese, and Turkish.

“We are delighted to announce the expansion of our travel agent programs into multiple languages,” said Julius Robinson, vice president of global sales intermediaries for Marriott International, Inc. He added, “We understand the importance of creating global programs, and we believe that this new enhancement will help better meet the needs of our travel agent partners around the world.”

Marriott’s Hotel Excellence! Program is Marriott’s training program for travel agent professionals, and is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. Introduced in 1999, the program was the first of its kind in the industry. While the core program already includes multiple languages; earlier this year, the program added four online, interactive modules. These modules were created specifically to address the needs of today’s traveler in an ever-changing global environment. The modules provide agents with a fresh perspective on the current state of the travel business, as well as the appropriate tools to help them sell travel in the following categories:

  • Demographic Niche Markets – family, upscale, physically challenged, and generational travel
  • Psychographic Niche Markets – romantic, eco-adventure, cultural, active, and spa-related travel
  • Marriott’s International Presence – including travel to emerging markets including the Middle East & Asia
  • Marriott’s International Spas & Resorts – tailored leisure travel to the Caribbean, Hawaii, Mexico and Costa Rica

Travel agents must complete the core Hotel Excellence! training before taking the new modules. Upon successful completion, an additional Fam-Tastic certificate will be awarded for each set of new modules.

The Travel Institute () has recognized the new Hotel Excellence! modules with Continuing Education Units (CEUs) toward maintaining a Certified Travel Associate (CTA) or Certified Travel Counselor (CTC) designation. Completion of both Niche modules will earn eligible agents three (3) CEU’s and completion of both International modules will earn eligible agents two (2) CEU’s.

Hotel Excellence! covers generic lodging sales information as well as the benefits of the many lodging choices offered by Marriott International. Since the program’s inception, Marriott is proud to have certified over 156,000 graduates in 54 countries as Hotel Sales Specialists.

For more information or to enroll in Hotel Excellence! visit .

Visit Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE:MAR) for a company overview.

Catherine Leitner
(301) 380-4220
Marriott