Photo courtesy Marriott International
Given Marriott International's ever-expanding portfolio, it's more important than ever for travel agents to complete the company's Hotel Excellence! (HE!) training program.
On Tuesday, Marriott announced that the HE! program had been updated, offering a more comprehensive learning experience of the travel industry and Marriott products.
The updated program includes a streamlined technology platform, taking into account the growing needs of mobile agents. Agents can now access HE! via any Internet-enabled device, whether you have a smartphone, a laptop or a tablet.
HE! also features interactive learning modules agents of all experience levels can complete at their own pace. These modules include information on the worldwide hotel industry, the transformation of the flagship Marriott Hotels brand and Marriott's newest brands, including the Autograph Collection, AC Hotels by Marriott, Moxy Hotels and Protea Hotels.
"This training is a great value to travel agencies, as the training will help agents be more knowledgeable and work more efficiently to close on more sales, ultimately benefiting the agency's bottom line," said Marian McLain, Vice President, Global Sales - Intermediaries at Marriott International. "This is of particular importance as the travel and tourism landscape changes and customers book travel in new ways. It is more important than ever for travel agencies to demonstrate their value and expertise."
Agents can stop and restart their training at their convenience. Eligible agents who complete the training by Jan. 31, 2015, will receive five Fam-Tastic certificates good for discounted rates at the majority of Marriott's 4,000 worldwide hotels. Previous graduates must complete the new HE! program to be recertified for Fam-Tastic and Preferred Travel Agency status. The program is available in 10 languages: English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Mandarin, Japanese, Russian and Turkish.
"Experienced travel agents may be able to complete the interactive real-life scenarios in less than two hours," McLain said. "Less experienced or new travel agents can choose to review the in-depth tutorials before completing scenarios and complete the training in 2-5 hours."
Marriott plans to introduce new modules each year for recertification, keeping agents educated and up to speed on the industry and Marriott offerings.
When HE! first launched in 1999, Marriott had eight brands and 1,900 lodging properties across 56 countries and territories. Today, Marriott's portfolio features 18 brands and more than 4,000 properties in 78 countries and territories across the globe. More than 215,000 travel agents in more than 100 countries have graduated from the HE! program.
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
