Skip Main Navigation
Menu
Back
CLOSE

Hotel Excellence! FAQs

Show More

Update Feb. 2024: All Preferred Travel Agencies (PTAs) must take action by March 31, 2024 to maintain Preferred Travel Agency status. View your Hotel Excellence! dashboard to check your status. Agencies whose Hotel Excellence! dashboard indicates that they are Standard continue to have the ability to complete the requirements to become a Preferred Travel Agency location and enjoy the associated benefits. Marriott Bonvoy® membership is now a requirement to access the Hotel Excellence! training and receive all associated Hotel Excellence! benefits.

Preferred Travel Agency Program (PTA) & Recertification

Open

Marriott’s Preferred Travel Agency (PTA) program allows ARC/IATA/IATAN/TIDS/CLIA accredited travel agencies to earn a preferred commission (currently 10%) for all transient commissionable bookings made across Marriott’s portfolio of brands worldwide. The PTA program has two criteria: (1) An agency owner or manager must electronically agree to the PTA commitment, and (2) the agency must have at least one qualified travel advisor for each ARC/IATA/IATAN/TIDS/CLIA location.  To be a qualified advisor, the advisor must:

  • Be a Marriott Bonvoy® member.
  • Create or update their MI Partner Privileges profile.
  • Complete Hotel Excellence! Core and the latest Continuing Education training. 
  • Travel advisors associated with an IATA/IATAN or CLIA location in the US must have a valid IATA/IATAN VER# or CLIA EMBARC ID on their profile.

Agencies not fulfilling all the criteria will be a Standard Travel Agency with Marriott and receive  8% commission on all transient commissionable bookings.

Design Hotels, Homes & Villas by Marriott International, All-Inclusive by Marriott Bonvoy®, The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, and MGM Collection do not participate in the program.

Open

Annually, an agency owner/manager must: 1) agree to the terms of being a Preferred Travel Agency and update their personal profile; and 2) have at least one qualified graduate of Marriott’s Hotel Excellence! training program that includes the “Core” training and the annual Continuing Education training for the certification cycle. Agencies that have not met both criteria by the end of the certification cycle will revert to Standard Travel Agency status. Travel agency owners/managers can view their Preferred Travel Agency status on their Dashboard at https://hotelexcellence.marriott.com. Fulfillment of these requirements must be met for each agency ARC/IATA/IATAN/TIDS/CLIA number. Please note, by registering or updating your profile, you agree that we may provide your agency owner with your Hotel Excellence! graduation status as it relates to your agency maintaining their Preferred Travel Agency status and benefits.

Open

PTA status is valid for the current certification cycle, typically one year. Agencies must act by the current recertification deadline to maintain their status for the next cycle. Recertification requirements are communicated to the email provided by the agency owner/manager in sufficient time for the criteria to be met by the recertification deadline. However, each agency owner/manager should log in to their Hotel Excellence! account to review their PTA status and ensure all requirements have been met.

Open

The Preferred Travel Agency Terms can be found by clicking on the “PTA Commitment” badge on the agency owner/manager’s dashboard at hotelexcellence.marriott.com. This badge will only appear if you answer “yes” to the question on your profile, “Are you the Owner, Manager, or Senior Executive of this Company / Agency?”

Open

If an agency does not fulfill the PTA criteria by the end of the recertification deadline, they will default to Standard Travel Agency status and receive an 8% commission on all transient commissionable reservations until such time as the requirements have been fulfilled.

Open

If the recertification deadline is missed, agencies can recertify at any time. However, any lapse in PTA criteria will change an agency’s status to Standard Travel Agency with an 8% commission. Once the PTA criteria has been met, Marriott will elevate the agency to Preferred Travel Agency status and 10% commission will apply for stays departing from that point forward on all transient commissionable reservations, provided these requirements are maintained.

Open

Marriott will send three email reminders  to the email address on file as the PTA Commitment signer for the Preferred Travel Agency owner/manager before the recertification deadline. It is the responsibility of the owner/manager to have a valid email address in their profile and to log in to their Hotel Excellence! account before the recertification deadline to ensure all requirements have been met.

Open

Agency owners/managers should create a MI Partner Privileges profile with their email address, and attest that they are the owner/manager or other senior executive affiliated with the agency location so they can agree to the Preferred Travel Agency terms.  A verification email will be sent requesting confirmation of receipt.  Once verified, the email address will be used to communicate important information about that agency location's PTA status; therefore, it is recommended the email be updated as needed.

Open

Each ARC/IATA/IATAN/TIDS/CLIA number must register at https://hotelexcellence.marriott.com and agree to the PTA terms individually.

Open

Each agency owner/manager should create an account at https://hotelexcellence.marriott.com to access their Agency Dashboard. The Dashboard will clearly indicate the following for each ARC/IATA/IATAN/TIDS/CLIA location: a) If a qualified graduate of the training is needed; b) whether the PTA terms have been agreed to; c) whether the agency is “Preferred” or “Standard”.

Open

No. The Preferred Travel Agency program applies only to commissionable transient bookings. Group commissions will be paid in accordance with the signed Group Sales Agreement.

Open

View Marriott’s Commission Policy and Commission FAQs to link to frequently asked questions regarding commissions.

Hotel Excellence! (HE!) Training & Required Recertification

Open

Hotel Excellence! is an online training program, specifically designed for professional travel professionals, to help them navigate the ever-changing hotel industry and to help their clients choose hotels that best suit their needs and style. The training is accessible on a multi-device platform to allow maximum flexibility and convenience. In addition to the “Core” training, annual Continuing Education recertification training will be developed and required for eligibility for Fam-Tastic benefits. There are also supplemental modules available that are optional and allow travel professionals the opportunity to customize their learning to best fit their needs.

Open

In addition to the robust knowledge provided within HE!, qualified graduates gain exclusive access to Marriott’s industry-leading Fam-Tastic familiarization rate program, offering discounted rates at the majority of Marriott properties. (See the Fam-Tastic topic for more details on this exclusive program.) Graduates also receive Continuing Educations Units: 10 CEUs towards the maintenance of the Travel Institute’s CTA/CTC certification, or 8 CEUs for Association of Canadian Travel Agencies certification or 10 CLIA credits for CLIA agents.

Open

The training will familiarize agents with Marriott’s robust portfolio of brands and what makes each brand unique. It will also help travel consultants work more efficiently, close more sales, and benefit your agency’s bottom line. This is important as the travel and tourism landscape changes, customers book travel in new ways, and new waves of travelers are emerging. More than ever before, travel agencies must demonstrate their value and expertise, and the HE! training is a smart investment for your agency. The HE! training is available at no cost, and agencies who employ travel professionals that are qualified advisors who have successfully completed the training are eligible to become a Marriott Preferred Travel Agency.

Open

Hotel Excellence! training is accessible at hotelexcellence.marriott.com after creating your MI Partner Privileges profile. Marriott Bonvoy® membership is a requirement to access the Hotel Excellence! training and receive all Hotel Excellence! benefits, including Fam-Tastic rates. All Core, Continuing Education and optional training modules can be found via the Hotel Excellence! dashboard. Log in to hotelexcellence.marriott.com and from the top of your dashboard at the top right, click the “?” icon to view a site tour on how to access the training as well as a quick tour of other features available on your HE! dashboard.

Open

No. The training has been designed to allow travel professionals the flexibility to choose their own learning journey. To satisfy the requirements for the Core training, complete one module from the Introduction section, two modules from the Brands Training section and three modules from the Foundational Training section. There are also optional modules in the Supplemental Modules section to help travel professionals strengthen their industry knowledge.

Open

Yes. The training is accessible from most web-enabled devices and browsers. Advisors can learn at their own pace by stopping and restarting the training seamlessly.

Open

No. HE! training is accessible on the following browsers and devices. The website and training will adapt to any web-enabled device the agent is using.

Browsers: Chrome & Edge (83+), Safari (14+), Firefox(77+), Opera (68+), Samsung Internet (11+), Android (81+)

Devices: Android 8.0+ (Oreo), iPads® (Except The iPad® Mini) And iPhones® (version iOS 13+)

Open

On average, users take just under two hours to complete the Core HE! training and 30 minutes to complete the annual Continuing Education training.

Open

Privacy and security are a top priority for Marriott, and we know how important it is to protect your data. We've changed the sign-in process to be more secure, ensuring the highest standards of security, while streamlining your experience across all of our Intermediary Partner Program websites.

Open

Marriott will use your email address to send you important updates about your Hotel Excellence! recertification status. Your email address will also be used to send you Reserved for You, the exclusive e-Newsletter for graduates of Hotel Excellence!, should you opt in. From time to time, and only upon request by your agency, Marriott may identify you to your agency as a graduate of Hotel Excellence! to confirm your agency is meeting the requirements as a Preferred Travel Agency (PTA) and receiving the PTA status and benefits.  View our Terms of Use and Privacy Center for additional information.

Open

The statuses that display under the Core Training and Continuing Education icons update based on your completion of the training assessments at the end of each training module. The "Not Started" status on your dashboard is an indicator that the assessment was not attempted/completed. Upon successful completion of the assessment, the status under the Core/Continuing Education icon on the dashboard will update to “Completed” and a certificate displays in the HE! Curriculum pane next to the title of the completed module(s). If you do not successfully complete the assessment, the progress gauge on the HE! Curriculum pane will display at 85% complete, and the status under the Core Training/ Continuing Education icon on the dashboard will display as “Partially Completed”.

Open

The statuses that display under the Core Training and Continuing Education icons update based on your completion of the training assessments at the end of each training module. The "Partially Completed" status on your dashboard is an indicator that you did not pass the assessment. Upon successful completion of the assessment, the status under the Core/Continuing Education icon on the dashboard will update to “Completed” and a certificate displays in the HE! Curriculum pane next to the title of the completed module(s). If you have not successfully completed the assessment, the gauge in the HE! Curriculum pane will display at 85% complete and the status under the Core Training/ Continuing Education icons on the dashboard will remain as “Partially Completed”.

The Fam-Tastic® Program & Recertification

Open

The Fam-Tastic program is recognized as the industry’s premier travel advisor familiarization rate program and is offered as an exclusive benefit to qualified travel advisors who have successfully completed the Hotel Excellence! Core training, completed the current certification cycle’s Continuing Education, are employed by a valid ARC/IATA/IATAN/TIDS/CLIA agency, and have updated their MI Partner Privileges profile. Fam-Tastic rates allow travel advisors to familiarize themselves with Marriott’s properties and brands to better recommend them to their customers.

The Fam-Tastic rate is a yieldable discounted rate that varies by brand and is subject to availability.

Qualifying advisors are eligible to book Fam-Tastic stays (maximum four nights per stay) at participating hotels. Fam-Tastic rates are good for stays at 8,600+ participating Marriott properties in 139 countries and territories worldwide. Be sure to review the Terms & Conditions.

The Fam-Tastic rate is eligible for Marriott Bonvoy® Points. View the Marriott Bonvoy Terms & Conditions for full program details.

Open

To maintain your Fam-Tastic rate benefit at participating Marriott hotels, simply:

1. Log in to Hotel Excellence!. Also new this year, Marriott Bonvoy® membership is a requirement to access the Hotel Excellence! training and receive all Hotel Excellence! benefits, including Fam-Tastic rates. Marriott Bonvoy membership ensures that your member status will be recognized by our hotels to enhance your stay (e.g., mobile check-in, complimentary wi-fi, service request chat feature, and more enhancements underway). Plus, Fam-Tastic rates are eligible for Marriott Bonvoy points.

2. Update or confirm your profile information. Travel advisors associated with an IATA/IATAN or CLIA location in the United States must have a valid IATA/IATAN VER# or CLIA EMBARC ID on their profile.

3. Successfully complete two Continuing Education micro-learning modules of your choice.

Our extensive menu of CE options provides you with the flexibility to select your choice of two micro-learning modules to meet the current training requirement. Additionally, existing CE module offerings are eligible for 2024 CE credit if not previously completed.

New Continuing Education Modules for 2024:

  • Marriott Bonvoy’s New Brands introduces you to Marriott Bonvoy's newest and growing brands so you can learn about how they may be a great fit for your clients —City Express by Marriott, Four Points Express by Sheraton, and Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy.
  • Why Partner with Marriott International? Marriott International stands out as a trusted partner for travel advisors. Learn about how your partnership with Marriott opens doors to unparalleled opportunities to create memorable travel experiences for your clients.

New Core Foundational Training Module:

  • Centralized Travel Agency Commissions educates about the benefits provided to travel agency partners to enable more streamlined commission payments, support, and reconciliation.

Open

A maximum of one room per stay may be booked at the Fam-Tastic rate. You may only book the Fam-Tastic rate at each participating hotel once per recertification cycle.

Open

For travel advisors associated with a US agency: an IATA/IATAN VER# photo ID Card or CLIA EMBARC Photo ID Card. IATA/IATAN offers digital cards which are also accepted at check-in. For advisors associated with an agency outside the US or for agents associated with a AAA location: a valid photo ID and a business card or employment verification letter on the letterhead of their agency.

Open

The Fam-Tastic Rate may be booked for a maximum of 4 nights per stay.

Open

Only travel advisors who have successfully completed the HE! Core training and the current year’s annual Continuing Education requirement are eligible for the Fam-Tastic rate benefits.  You can view your Fam-Tastic eligibility status on your Hotel Excellence! dashboard.

Open

If your CE 2023 status is not “Qualified”, you will not be able to book Fam-Tastic benefits until after March 31, 2024. If you are new to Hotel Excellence! and it is prior to April 1, 2024, you should complete CE 2023 to unlock your Fam-Tastic rate benefit. Check your qualification status on your Hotel Excellence! Dashboard at https://hotelexcellence.marriott.com. Advisors based in the United States must add a valid IATA/IATAN VER# or CLIA EMBARC ID in their profile.

Open

All brands across Marriott’s portfolio except Design Hotels, Homes & Villas by Marriott International, The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, and MGM Collection participate in the Fam-Tastic program. Please note that Fam-Tastic rates are yieldable and subject to availability.

Open

As soon as your Hotel Excellence! dashboard indicates that you are “Qualified” for Fam-Tastic, stays can be booked immediately.

 

Open

Fam-Tastic reservations must be made in advance and can only be made via marriott.com/travelagents. Log in with your MI Partner Privileges credentials. If you meet the requirements to qualify for the Fam-Tastic rate, the booking page will appear, and you may continue to search and book your Fam-Tastic reservation. View your Hotel Excellence! dashboard to confirm your eligibility.
Fam-Tastic reservations are not bookable via the hotel directly or through Marriott's worldwide Customer Engagement Centers.

Open

Fam-Tastic benefits are currently available for arrivals through March 31, 2025. CE 2025 is planned to launch in January 2025 and will appear on your Hotel Excellence! Dashboard. After you become qualified for the 2025 certification cycle, you may book the Fam-Tastic rate for stays arriving after March 31, 2025.

Open

If you need to update your name on your MI Partner Privileges profile, please email mipartnerprivileges@marriott.com or contact Intermediary Partner Care at 1-800-831-3100, Option 5, or worldwide at 1-402-390-1651, and a specialist will assist you in updating your profile to reflect your name change. The name on your profile must match the name on your IATA/IATAN/CLIA card and/or photo identification and reservation at check-in. Name changes must include supporting legal documentation, signature, date, and account email address.

Open

MI Partner Privileges profile name changes may take up to four hours to display the updated name when booking a new reservation. Please allow four hours before booking a new reservation on marriott.com/travelagents.

Open

The name, as it appears on your MI Partner Privileges profile, must match the name on your IATA/IATAN/CLIA card and/or photo identification and reservation at check-in. Please email mipartnerprivileges@marriott.com, or contact Intermediary Partner Care at 1-800-831-3100, Option 5, or worldwide at 1-402-390-1651 for assistance. They will connect you with the Fam-Tastic Rate Assistance line to change the name on your existing reservation(s).

Open

Please contact one of the Customer Engagement Centers via http://www.marriott.com/help/global-phone-reservation-numbers.mi, and ask to be transferred to the Fam-Tastic Rate Assistance line and a specialist will help you add/change your special request(s).

Open

All cancellations or modifications to your Fam-Tastic reservation must be made after signing into Marriott’s dedicated Travel Agent website at www.marriott.com/travelagents.

  • Select “Access Fam-Tastic” from the “Hotel Excellence” menu option at the top of the page.
  • Click on “Travel Advisor Sign in or Register” and sign in with your email address and password.
  • Click on "Find & Reserve" located at the top of the page to the right of the Marriott Bonvoy logo. 
  • Beneath the hotel search section, click on “Lookup Reservation”.
  • Enter your information in the “For a specific reservation” section.  Do not use the “For a list of your reservations” section, as this will take you out of the Hotel Excellence/Fam-Tastic signed in access.
  • Once you have located your reservation, you may proceed with your cancellation/modification request.

To ensure your cancellation or modification is reflected accurately on your Hotel Excellence! account, do not cancel or modify through your confirmation email link, your Marriott Bonvoy account, the Marriott Bonvoy app, or via the phone with reservations or the property. Cancellations or modifications made without being signed into the Travel Agent website will not be reflected back to your Hotel Excellence! account, therefore impacting your ability to make future Fam-Tastic reservations for the same date or at the same hotel.

If you need further assistance with a Fam-Tastic reservation, please contact one of the Customer Engagement Centers via http://www.marriott.com/help/global-phone-reservation-numbers.mi, and ask to be transferred to the Fam-Tastic Rate Assistance line and a specialist will assist you.

Open

All cancellations or modifications to your Fam-Tastic reservation must be made after signing into Marriott’s dedicated Travel Agent website at www.marriott.com/travelagents.

  • Select “Access Fam-Tastic” from the “Hotel Excellence” menu option at the top of the page.
  • Click on “Travel Advisor Sign in or Register” and sign in with your email address and password.
  • Click on "Find & Reserve" located at the top of the page to the right of the Marriott Bonvoy logo. 
  • Beneath the hotel search section, click on “Lookup Reservation”.
  • Enter your information in the “For a specific reservation” section.  Do not use the “For a list of your reservations” section, as this will take you out of the Hotel Excellence/Fam-Tastic signed in access.
  • Once you have located your reservation, you may proceed with your cancellation/modification request.

To ensure your cancellation or modification is reflected accurately on your Hotel Excellence! account, do not cancel or modify through your confirmation email link, your Marriott Bonvoy account, the Marriott Bonvoy app, or via the phone with reservations or the property. Cancellations or modifications made without being signed into the Travel Agent website will not be reflected back to your Hotel Excellence! account, therefore impacting your ability to make future Fam-Tastic reservations for the same date or at the same hotel.

If you need further assistance with a Fam-Tastic reservation, please contact one of the Customer Engagement Centers via http://www.marriott.com/help/global-phone-reservation-numbers.mi, and ask to be transferred to the Fam-Tastic Rate Assistance line and a specialist will assist you.

Open

Visit www.marriott.com/travelagents to access the Fam-Tastic booking page. Check availability for the location of your preference at the Fam-Tastic rate. If you can book at the Fam-Tastic rate, you will need to cancel your original reservation.  Please make note of your original reservation’s cancellation policies.

Open

“Restriction” is the status of any advisor affiliated with an agency location that is not compliant with Marriott’s Ratio Policy.  Affiliated advisors are restricted from booking Marriott’s Fam-Tastic and Travel Agent rates. When imposing this restriction, Marriott communicates to the agency owner or senior executive.  Any questions related to this status should be directed to your agency. 

Open

To ensure we are partnering with intermediaries that are also focused on driving profitable business to our hotels, Marriott utilizes a Ratio Policy. The full policy can be referenced here.

Travel Agent Rate

Open

The Travel Agent rate is a discount for all active accredited travel agents (I.e., valid IATA, ARC, CLIA or TIDS) to thousands of Marriott hotels worldwide to experience our brands. The Travel Agent rate is yieldable and subject to availability.

Open

Please follow these steps to access the Travel Agent rate:
1. Log in to www.Marriott.com/travelagents.
2. Click on “Promotions”, select “Travel Agent Rate Search”
3. A booking widget will appear on the screen for you to continue to search and book.
 

Open

All active accredited travel agents with a valid ARC/IATA/IATAN/TIDS/CLIA number will be eligible to book the Travel Agent rate.

Open

A maximum of 2 rooms per stay may be booked by an active accredited travel agent at the Travel Agent rate.

Open

For agents associated with a US agency: an IATA/IATAN VER# photo ID Card or CLIA EMBARC Photo ID Card. IATA/IATAN also offers digital cards which are also accepted at check-in. For advisors associated with an agency outside the US or for advisors associated with a AAA location: valid photo ID and a business card or employment verification letter on the letterhead of their agency is required at check-in.

Open

No. The Travel Agent rate does not have a maximum number of nights allowed per stay. It is subject to availability and fully yieldable.