Westin Hotels & Resorts Salutes The Early Rising Running Community

BETHESDA, Md., June 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- In celebration of Global Running Day, Westin Hotels & Resorts, part of Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR), today announced an addition to the brand's game-changing Gear Lending program, which offers guests access to New Balance® shoes and workout apparel during their stay for only $5.00 USD or the local currency equivalent. For the month of June, reflective wristbands and light-up sneaker clips will be included in the Gear Lending offering, allowing guests to pack light, stay fit, and now, rise earlier.

"Travelers today are over-scheduled and always-on; in response, we are seeing people realign their priorities to put their well-being first," said Brian Povinelli, SVP and Global Brand Leader, Westin Hotels & Resorts. "Whether at home or on the road, often the only time guests have for themselves is the morning.  Fueled by our guests' passion for running and the brand's promise to empower travelers to move well, we hope this extension to our Gear Lending program will inspire travelers to rise early and own their morning on Global Running Day and beyond."

Global Study Sees a Surge in Travelers Sweating Before Sunrise
With less time and more disruptors on the road, 3 in 4 people have trouble maintaining their wellness routine while traveling: sleeping less and exercising less with increased stress levels, even when on vacation.  In response, guests around the globe are increasingly getting up before the sun to own their morning through well-being and regaining control of their routines on the road.

A global study conducted in partnership with StudyLogic revealed that almost 40% of global respondents are most in control of their wellness routine between 4:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. Surprisingly, nearly 25% of respondents specified that they are most in control between 4:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. And many of those wellness routines include running: 45% of global respondents intend to run while traveling.

"As someone who travels throughout the world bringing to life the brand's renowned running program, I have never met a guest who wakes up early to run and regrets it," said Chris Heuisler, National RunWESTIN™ Concierge.  "There is magic in the early morning hours that fosters a sense of comradery, broadens your perspective and reframes your day. With a strong commitment to the running community, we are delighted to shine a new light on running for travelers and support an event that has quickly become a global phenomenon celebrated around the world."

Rise & Shine: Westin Hotels & Resorts Celebrate Global Running Day around the World
Today the brand boasts nearly 200 Run Concierges globally, who host group runs for guests and encourage runners of all levels to grab a runWESTIN™ map and explore their destination. Whether it is millennials, who view fitness activities to be more social than competitive; business travelers who are shifting their preference from country clubs to running clubs; or even honeymooners, who are increasingly running together as a way to decompress, disconnect and be a tourist at the same time; Westin continues to evolve its offerings to support the running community.

To celebrate Global Running Day, Westin hotels around the world will host empowering runs enlisting guests and associates to rise early and own their morning. Equipped with the brand's new reflective gear, Run Concierges will lead runners through the scenic routes of cities, along beachfronts and amid rural landscapes to experience sunrise through Westin's well-being lens.

In "the City that Never Sleeps," guests and locals will hit the pavement before Manhattan wakes up with a run beginning at The Westin New York at Times Square, along the scenic Westside Highway and culminating with a fresh and refueling breakfast downtown.  In Mexico, the newly built Westin Cozumel has partnered with New Balance Ambassador and Olympic Medalist Ismael Hernandez to lead an inspiring morning run along the coastal beach town; while in Germany, The Westin Hamburg has partnered with Mourad Bekakcha, the fastest runner in the region, to run and train with travelers along the waterfront of the famed port city.

Many Westin hotels around the world will join the celebration in markets including: Austin, Beijing, Boston, Costa Rica, Cairo, Cape Town, Vancouver and Jakarta among others.

Brand Campaign Challenges Travelers: "Will You Get Up, or Will You Rise?"
This initiative follows on the heels of the brand's launch of its new multi-million-dollar campaign, Let's Rise, which takes on the disruptions, distractions and unpredictability of travel while empowering travelers to embrace well-being as a way to regain control of their routines and be their best while on the road.

Because morning is the first and best opportunity to take control of the day ahead, the campaign uses morning light as a consistent creative device to speak to the potential that the morning holds. Overall, the campaign calls consumers to answer a simple question, "Will you get up, or will you rise?"  The Let's Rise mantra will continue to serve as an anchor for the wellness programs and partnerships that roll out for guests and associates throughout the year. 

To learn more about Westin and its fitness offerings visit westin.com/letsrise or westin.com/movewell.

About Westin Hotels & Resorts
Westin Hotels & Resorts, a leader in wellness and hospitality for more than a decade, lives its philosophy "Empowering a Better You™" through the brand's Six Pillars of Well-Being: Feel Well, Work Well, Move Well, Eat Well, Sleep Well and Play Well. At more than 200 hotels and resorts in nearly 40 countries and territories, guests can experience offerings that include the iconic Heavenly® Bed, RunWESTIN™ and Westin Gear Lending with New Balance®, delicious and nutritious SuperFoodsRx™ and more.  To learn more, visit www.westin.com. Stay connected to Westin: @westin on Twitter and Instagram and facebook.com/Westin.

Study Methodology
This study is based on a survey conducted by STUDYLOGIC LLC via telephone of approximately 8,000 respondents ages 25-64 with household incomes of $75,000 or above from 6 different areas: North America (the United States and Canada), Mexico, the United Kingdom, Germany, the United Arab Emirates, and China.  This summary report is based on the responses of all 7,968 respondents.  Summary charts showing the breakdown of gender, age, and income, broken down by geographic area, are included at the end of this report.  The survey consisted of thirty-two questions including identifiers and sub-questions. Interviews were conducted between October 1st and October 15th, 2016. The survey averaged 30 minutes in length and contains a margin of error of +/-3%.

About Marriott International, Inc.
Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) is the world's largest hotel company based in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, with more than 6,100 properties in 124 countries and territories. Marriott operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts. The company also operates award-winning loyalty programs: Marriott Rewards®, which includes The Ritz-Carlton Rewards®, and Starwood Preferred Guest®. For more information, please visit our website at www.marriott.com, and for the latest company news, visit www.marriottnewscenter.com and @MarriottIntl.

SOURCE Marriott International, Inc.

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