This type of reciprocal arrangement is far less common in the hotel industry. Travelers might think of the Marriott-MGM agreement as a “codesharing” arrangement of sorts, similar to the agreements that allow airlines to sell seats on each other’s flights. Marriott also just happens to be a hotel company, hotel franchisor and manager.” It’s the Marriott Bonvoy platform and its 180 million members.
“It’s not Marriott’s 31 - now maybe 32 - different hotel brands. “Marriott Bonvoy is the brand,” Bellisario says. When he says “bigger is better,” he’s talking about the company’s loyalty program. But Bellisario is not talking about Marriott’s revenues or its 8,000 properties containing 1.4 million rooms in 139 countries and territories.
