Marriott partners with AT&T and Cisco for virtual meetings

January 28, 2010 | Hospitality Industry

In an increasingly interconnected business world, companies of all sizes are seeking the ability to hold more internal and client meetings across the globe. With the opening of GoThere Virtual Meetings with AT&T and Cisco, Marriott customers are able to easily collaborate 'in-person' with partners around the world.

Marriott International rolled out its first GoThere Virtual Meetings studios at the New York Marriott East Side Hotel and Bethesda North Marriott Hotel near Washington, D.C. GoThere Virtual Meetings are part of a roll-out of AT&T TelePresence Solution, using Cisco TelePresence studios enabled by AT&T network and the AT&T Business Exchange at Marriott Hotels & Resorts, JW Marriott Hotels and Renaissance Hotels around the world.

Key Facts / Highlights:

- Marriott is the first major global hotel company to offer Cisco TelePresence meeting options with the AT&T network to its customers in locations worldwide.

- The first GoThere Virtual Meetings studios are now open at the New York Marriott East Side and the Bethesda North Marriott just outside Washington, D.C. Marriott plans to expand to 25 hotels around the world in the first phase. The next hotels to offer GoThere Virtual Meetings will be Grosvenor House, a JW Marriott Hotel; JW Marriott Hong Kong; Renaissance Sao Paulo; JW Marriott Marquis Miami; Renaissance Washington, D.C.; Atlanta Airport Marriott Gateway; and Dallas/Fort Worth Airport Marriott with more to follow.

- Marriott’s corporate customers told the company they would hold more meetings at its hotels if an appealing virtual meeting option was available. GoThere Virtual Meetings will give Marriott customers additional opportunities to hold more productive, collaborative small meetings.

- GoThere Virtual Meetings will create new revenue streams for Marriott hotels, and we expect that most of this new business will be incremental. Customers will now have real time, high-definition meeting alternatives to less productive global telephone or video conference calls.

- To book a meeting room online or keep updated on new locations, customers can go to https://www.gotherevirtualmeetings.com

“GoThere Virtual Meetings with AT&T and Cisco TelePresence will offer our customers a new way to hold more productive, collaborative meetings linking locations around the world, and open up new revenue opportunities for our company and our hotels. We are proud to work with AT&T and Cisco to enhance innovative communications technology at our hotels and offer it to our customers.”—David Marriott, chief operations officer, Americas Eastern Region, Marriott International