Marriott, TED collaboration to potentially benefit corporate meetings

Marriott International, which has recently extended its partnership with non-profit organisation TED to deliver inspirational content to guests of Marriott Hotels into 2018, is considering ways to introduce the same valuable presentations to meetings held on-site.

The partnership, forged in August 2016, has led to TED-curated content relevant to Marriott Hotels’ guests in each region, ranging from curiosity and innovation to travel and entrepreneurship, being delivered to guests live and through in-room TV.

Mike Fulkerson

Past TED presentations delivered through in-room TV are currently only available across the US and in Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park in Asia, while live delivery is achieved through five global TED Talks Fellows salons in Seattle, London, Dubai, Bangkok and Santiago throughout 2016 and 2017.

The fourth edition will take place this evening at the Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park hotel.

Mike Fulkerson, vice president brands and marketing with Marriott International, told TTGmice that Bangkok was chosen to deliver the Asian TED Talks Fellows salon as “it was often the top few (travel) destinations no matter which ranking you looked at”.

Meanwhile, Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park was picked as the host venue – and the location to debut the in-room content distribution in Asia – as it is the only Marriott hotel bestowed with the Marquis designation, indicating a strong business event product that checks seven boxes including hotel size and the number of guestrooms.

The hotel, launched November 2016, has 1,360 keys – of which 700 are twin rooms, a critical requirement for meeting groups – and 35 function rooms, each boasting a different look and theme.

The roll out of past TED presentations across Asia will happen progressively.

Fulkerson revealed that Marriott International is also “exploring how we could bring TED content into clients’ meetings in meaningful ways”, and options could be pre-recorded TED presentations being shown at the start of meetings to inspire delegates or live presentations by TED Talks Fellows.

“There isn’t a big pool of TED Talks Fellows though, and those who are in there are not always available (to speak) or not always very affordable, so we need to carefully consider how to make this partnership (work for TED, for Marriott and for our clients),” he added.

Meanwhile, additional cities that will hold 2018 TED Talks Fellows salons have not been determined, but Fulkerson will push for Asia-Pacific destinations and properties to be in the line-up.

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