Courtyard by Marriott Receives Hotel Visionary Award at the Hotel Technology Forum for Its Interactive GoBoard(TM)

BETHESDA, Md., April 23 /PRNewswire/ -- For today's business travelers, technology is at the forefront of everything they do and that is why Courtyard by Marriott is being honored for putting technology at the forefront of its new Refreshing Business lobby concept.

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Hospitality Technology magazine is recognizing Courtyard by Marriott for its leadership in innovative technology, bestowing the brand with its Hotel Visionary Award for 2010.  In awarding Courtyard by Marriott at the Hotel Technology Forum in Las Vegas, the magazine highlighted the brand's "…innovation in responding to travelers' needs" with the interactive GoBoard™. The 57-inch LCD touch screen GoBoard™ is a signature element exclusive to Courtyard hotels that feature the brand's new Refreshing Business lobby concept.

Now in more than 130 hotels in the U.S. and Canada, the GoBoard™ was developed specifically for Courtyard by Marriott by Microsoft and Four Winds Interactive.  It provides guests with local area and airport information, weather, maps using Microsoft Virtual Earth, and news, business and sports headlines from USA TODAY.  Using the touch screen, guests can navigate to find restaurants and local attractions, as well as print directions to these destinations.

"Today's tech-savvy guests are always connected to the digital world. They expect quick and easy access to information, and the interactive GoBoard™ literally puts important traveler information at their fingertips," said Janis Milham, vice president and global brand manager, Courtyard by Marriott.  "The response from travelers to the Refreshing Business lobby featuring the GoBoard™ has been tremendous. Hotels with the new lobby concept have experienced a double digit rise in guest satisfaction and a nearly double digit increase in market share during the tough economy."

The Hotel Visionary Awards are given out annually to honor hotel companies for their outstanding vision and achievement in technology and service innovation.  Courtyard by Marriott was chosen for its innovation in responding to travelers' needs by implanting touch screen digital signage.

By end of this year, nearly 300 Courtyard by Marriott hotels throughout the United States and Canada are expected to feature the GoBoard™.  For more information about the innovative GoBoard™ technology, including guest narrated videos and informative blog posts, visit www.gocourtyard.com.

About Courtyard by Marriott: There are currently more than 860 Courtyard by Marriott hotels in more than 30 countries worldwide.  All Courtyard hotels participate in the award winning Marriott Rewards frequent travel program that allows members to earn hotel points or airline miles for every dollar spent during each stay.  To make reservations, visit www.courtyard.com, call the Courtyard toll-free number at 1-800-321-2211 or contact a travel professional.

Our statements about the number of, and particular hotels at which, we expect the new lobby to be introduced are "forward looking statements" within the meaning of federal securities laws.  These statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including those described in Marriott International, Inc.'s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which could cause the new lobby introduction dates or locations to be different than we anticipate.

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SOURCE Marriott International, Inc.