Marriott International becomes first hospitality company to introduce neuroinclusive practices at its largest customer events

05.12.2023 - 08:38 / traveldailynews.com / Marriott International / Vicky Karantzavelou

Leveraging work from Google Xi’s The Neu Project, Marriott strives to create a more inclusive experience for meeting attendees.

Marriott International, Inc., a hotel industry leader for more than 95 years, announced its commitment to incorporate neuroinclusive practices at Marriott-hosted customer events of 250 people or more globally. This commitment is a result of joining forces with The Neu Project, an initiative from Google’s Experience Institute (Xi) that aims to share resources designed to better accommodate and create a more inclusive experience during meetings and events for neurodivergent attendees. These practices are initially being previewed at Marriott’s Corporate Partnership Customer Conference, THE EXCHANGE, currently taking place November 28 through December 1, 2023 at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa in Palm Springs, CA.

Approximately 15-20 percent of the world’s population has neuro differences, including ADHD, obsessive-compulsive disorder, autism, dyslexia, epilepsy, and Tourette Syndrome.* In 2022, the Google Experience Institute launched The Neu Project in order to demystify and educate event professionals on the design of more neuroinclusive experiences through a helpful guide and checklist.

Starting today, the following neuroinclusive practices will be incorporated at Marriott-hosted customer meetings and events of 250 people or more:

“Grounded in our commitments to innovation and inclusion, Marriott is dedicated to making meetings and events more accessible for everyone,” said Drew Pinto, Executive Vice President and Chief Revenue & Technology Officer, Marriott International. “The Neu Project is a driving force in this space, and we look forward to working jointly with them, along with the neurodivergent community, to deepen our understanding of neurodivergent needs in order to truly welcome all.”

Over the past two years, Marriott has collaborated closely with The Neu Project to learn directly from the neurodivergent community. The company has already begun implementing various neuroinclusive practices at its recent customer events, including a quiet room and tools and resources at both THE EXCHANGE: Association Masters in Phoenix, AZ and THE EXCHANGE: Europe in Madrid, Spain. Last month, Marriott and The Neu Project also implemented a quiet room for attendees at IMEX America, an annual industry event in Las Vegas, NV where members of the global business events community come together.

Looking ahead to 2024, Marriott will further its neuroinclusion efforts by conducting active listening sessions with the community through conversations with The Neu Project and people who are neurodivergent, which will help shape future content.

“The Neu Project was born out of a