Gaylord Hotels and Resorts is the first Marriott brand to offer the company’s new optional health protocols for group meetings.

Beginning this month, the protocols will be available at Gaylord properties in Florida, Tennessee, Texas and Colorado. They are expected to be offered at a selection of certain other Marriott branded hotels throughout the United States in the weeks to follow.

Marriott introduced its Global Cleanliness Council and Commitment to Clean in 2020. The new health options will supplement existing protocols and features already in place at Marriott hotels in the United States, including guest and associate face covering requirements, social distancing policies, reduced seating capacity for meetings, frequent cleaning of high-touch areas, hand sanitizing stations throughout the hotel, mobile technology and hybrid meeting options.

The new options include:

• Self-administered COVID-19 tests taken by the guest prior to travel
• COVID-19 testing administered by a third-party testing provider on site at the hotel
• Daily and/or pre-arrival health screening questions via a dedicated mobile application
• Daily temperature checks to enter the event area

“These new health protocols provide options for meeting professionals as they plan and host meetings, conferences, and events,” said Tammy Routh, senior vice-president, Global Sales Organization for Marriott International. “Building upon the work of our Global Cleanliness Council, we engaged industry-leading experts and through a thorough review process, identified third party providers capable of offering the health protocols that meeting professionals want and need for future events.”

In August 2020, Marriott announced digital content and best practices to help meeting professionals execute future events. In November, the first in a global series of hybrid virtual and in-person events was held in Virginia, demonstrating how to Connect with Confidence. The event showcased Marriott’s reimagined processes and meeting spaces, while reinforcing the company’s commitment to help meeting professionals in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.