In Marriott’s Q3 earnings call today, CEO Anthony Capuano shared something easy to miss but points to a big opportunity:
“The ability to search our portfolio through passions as opposed to simply a geographic search… So rather than saying I want to go to Costa Rica or Hawaii, I may search surfing options.”
Savvy observers know this is where travel search is heading, but I wanted to highlight this comment towards the end of the call because, at its core, it aligns with how great hospitality providers think.
Great hospitality has always been about attentiveness: noticing what people really need, not just what they ask for.
This evolution in Marriott’s booking strategy is an attempt to scale that same attentiveness with technology.
By understanding WHY someone travels (not just where), hotels can better help guests meet their goals: to rest, to connect, to create, to challenge themselves.
And commercially, this unlocks something big: escaping the commodification trap. It opens up new demand. It creates new ways to guide travelers toward stays that fit who they are.
More relevance. More reasons to travel.
That’s hospitality…and smart leadership.
♻️ Repost this with your thoughts to help someone else
➕ Follow Hospitality Daily here on LinkedIn for more stories like this
