Emmanuelle Tulliez: Let me ask you the same question I asked the other panelists: Where were you 30 years ago, and what were you doing in the hospitality industry?
Michel Miserez: What was I doing back then? Thirty years ago, I was working in Amsterdam. I had started my career here in Paris at the Princely. Back then, I was working in Paris as an assistant controller at Marriott, and I was very close to leaving the company. Luckily, I didn’t make that decision, because that was when I met my girlfriend, who is now my wife. Staying with Marriott was definitely the right choice.
ET: That’s great! Marriott has now been around for over 70 years. When the first hotel opened, what was the core of the Marriott brand from your perspective?
MM: Brands have evolved tremendously over the years. When the first Marriott opened in 1957, it was the Twin Bridge Marriott Motor Hotel in Arlington, Virginia.
Back then, Marriott was a pioneer, along with Hilton and Holiday Inn, introducing the concept of customer recognition and trust-building. It was all about offering quality service and consistency wherever guests traveled, so they felt at home.
From the 1950s to the 1970s, the brand underwent an incredible transformation, planting flags around the globe as globalization took off. American travelers, in particular, sought consistency and the same high standards they had back home, a true “home away from home” experience.
Fast forward, and things changed rapidly. We introduced a decentralized reservation system, inspired by the airline industry. Then came the loyalty programs in the 1980s, which drove repeat business and privileges for guests.
Innovations like Courtyard, a brand now over 40 years old, also played a big role. It’s our largest brand today, with 1,300 locations worldwide…
