[Interview] Marriott Bonvoy VP Sales - Antoinette van den Berg

The big dog is in the haus.

Marriott is into All-Inclusive Resorts in a BIG way.

Why is that important?

Loyalty Points! (aka free nights)

When you stay at any one of Marriotts 30 brands (which collectively have about 8700 hotels) you can rack up Bonvoy loyalty points that can be used for vacations at their All Inclusive portfolio.

In A Nutshell: Marriott is changing the All-Inclusive Resort landscape with their Bonvoy loyalty program. Marriott entered the all-inclusive space in 2019 with the acquisition of Elegant Hotels’ seven properties in Barbados. A subsequent announcement of a long-term agreement with Sunwing Travel Group’s hotel division, Blue Diamond Resorts, added 20 properties to the portfolio in October 2021 in destinations such as Antigua, Costa Rica, Grenada, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic and Mexico (note: not Barbados – only Elegant Hotels are in Barbados), all of which joined the Autograph Collection. Marriott partnered with Playa Hotels & Resorts to welcome its first luxury all-inclusive property, Sanctuary Cap Cana, A Luxury Collection Resort in the Dominican Republic, which re-opened following renovations in January 2023. Today, there are over 30 resorts in the portfolio, including two Westin properties and a Delta Hotels resort.

Our President, Chris Russo, had the opportunity to sit down with Antoinette van den Berg, – VP Sales and Distribution Caribbean and All Inclusives with Marriott International at World Travel Market to get insights on what is happening with this rapidly growing segment of Marriott’s hotel portfolio.

Chris: Hello Antionette, I hope you are enjoying the World Travel Market. Marriott entering the market has given a big boost to the perception of an All Inclusive vacation. I understand your loyalty program Bonvoy has over 177 million members who can now use their points at your all inclusive resorts. How many resorts does Marriott now have in their All Inclusive Portfolio?
Antoinette: Hello Chris, thank you for taking time to chat with me. Right now Marriott currently has over 30 All Inclusive Resorts – with new openings on the horizon.
Chris: With all those members in your Bonvoy program it would make sense that you are opening more resorts. What is the next resort Marriott is opening?
Antoinette: The first Marriott Branded Hotel will be the Marriott Cancun Resort. It is currently going through a renovation to make the hotel fit the All Inclusive standard. The Hotel will be reopening in 2024, hopefully in the 1^st quarter.
Chris: Cancun is one of the largest, if not the largest, vacation destination for North American travelers. What is on the horizon for other new openings?
Antoinette: We will have further announcements but currently we have a Marriott All Inclusive Puerto Vallarta and a 90 room Luxury Collection Adults Only Hotel on Isla Mujeres in the works. Also, for Europe we will have the Marriott Djerba in Tunisia.
Chris: So your all inclusive reach is going overseas into Tunisia. We have noticed a number of other big all inclusive brands expanding into Europe and beyond. Being able to use Bonvoy points for all inclusives around the world is something that will provide enthusiasts with options expanding beyond the Caribbean and Mexico. What are some of the growth challenges you foresee in 2024?
Antoinette: The biggest challenge is staffing. It is getting more and more difficult to find people to work at the resorts and keep the high level of service that Marriott Brand customers are used to receiving. Also, inflation! As goods and services go up we are constantly trying to make sure it does not affect the customer experience and cost of those wonderful experiences.
Chris: Fortunately for Marriott Bonvoy members they can offset the cost of those experiences by using points. Tell us the importance of being a Marriott Bonvoy member!
Antoinette: Our members get the best of both worlds as they can earn points with stays at any of our regular Marriott brands and now on vacation as well at the All Inclusive brands and of course redeem those points for all inclusive vacation stays now as well. It doesn’t cost anything to join but offers a myriad of great benefits.
Chris: Our team here at Best All Inclusive look forward watching Marriott grow and expand. It is an exciting time in the world of all inclusives. Thank you Antoinette for taking time to update our readers on your growth plans. To learn more about All-Inclusive by Marriott Bonvoy go to Marriott All Inclusive Resort Portfolio
Antoinette: Thank you Chris, I have enjoyed our time together.