Each January, enthusiastic epicureans descend upon the Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, for a weekend with the world’s most famed cooks. Carrying their white coats with Bermuda shorts, Eric Ripert, José Andrés and Daniel Boulud mingle with lodge company on pristine seashores making a culinary expertise that goes far past conventional Michelin star eating. Andrés leads interactive cooking demonstrations and company sip Champagne whereas taking selfies with culinary icons like Emeril Lagasse as his contemporary seafood sizzles on beachfront grills.
This signature occasion sponsored by Marriott Bonvoy has grow to be some of the treasured meals celebrations globally. It additionally exemplifies a basic shift in client conduct: the rising desire for distinctive experiences over materials possessions.
“Individuals aren’t simply reserving lodge rooms anymore — they’re reserving reminiscences,” explains Peggy Roe, govt vp and chief buyer officer at Marriott Worldwide, in an interview with WWD. “The post-pandemic traveler is searching for genuine connections via experiences that align with their passions.”
Marriott Worldwide has recognized meals, together with music, sports activities, outside actions and style, as “key ardour factors” which can be reworking the journey business. For the corporate, understanding and catering to those evolving client priorities has grow to be central to their enterprise technique.
Peggy Roe
Roe, the primary chief buyer officer in Marriott Worldwide’s historical past, oversees growth and execution of all facets of the corporate’s world client technique throughout a portfolio of over 30 lodge manufacturers, spanning almost 9,500 properties in 150 international locations and territories plus the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program. Her position depends closely on watching knowledge, which has revealed a considerable rebalancing of Marriott’s portfolio — leisure journey now accounts for 60 p.c of their enterprise, up from 40 p.c pre-pandemic. “We have been way more of a enterprise traveler’s model and lodge firm previous to the pandemic,” stated Roe.
The transfer towards leisure was occurring, she stated, however COVID-19 accelerated it. “The pattern round folks shifting their investments from tangible issues to experiences started earlier than 2020, however it simply accelerated after COVID, due to the pent-up demand,” Roe stated. “As we noticed this leisure demand come, it was essential for us to grasp what the journey patterns are that individuals are adopting as a result of life has modified.”
Meals Drives Journey Selections
Responding to this demand, Marriott Worldwide is strategically constructing partnerships and experiences to satisfy evolving client calls for. Cayman Cookout has grow to be a testomony to how vacation spot eating has dramatically shifted. The corporate will host over 150 culinary-focused occasions this yr. Ripert, whose Michelin star restaurant, Blue, is an anchor on the Ritz Carlton in Grand Cayman, has curated the cookout to be a celebration of connection, tradition, and culinary artistry. The normal white-tablecloth Michelin expertise transforms into an immersive journey the place company can swim with stingrays, dance below the celebrities, and interact immediately with world-renowned cooks. “Luxurious doesn’t imply stiff anymore,” Ripert explains. “It’s about being in a lovely place with folks from totally different backgrounds and experiencing one thing that makes you cheerful.”
Ripert admits what actually units it aside is the unprecedented entry company must culinary expertise. “Right here, you have got entry to the cooks, and also you’re going to have enjoyable with them,” he notes. “The cooks need to meet company, talk about and have enjoyable as properly.”
Roe shared that eco-conscious consuming can also be an enormous pattern shaping journey in 2025 and shoppers “are placing their cash the place their mouth is.” She added, “Company are extra conscious than ever concerning the influence of their meals selections and can actively go the additional mile to make sure their influence is minimal.” Inside Marriott Worldwide’s portfolio, properties like JW Marriott Orlando Grande Lakes, with its 7,000 sq. toes Whisper Creek Farm fruit and vegetable backyard, and Michelin-recommended eating places, like Primo by Melissa Kelly, characteristic onsite natural gardens, composting, sustainable protein sourcing, and seasonal crop rotations catering to this demand.
Touring to the Beat
“Music stays an simple ardour for our company, drawing them from all corners of the world to expertise their favourite artists reside and fueling their journey,” stated Roe. Final month Marriott Bonvoy launched its most bold celeb partnership of 2025, changing into the official lodge accomplice for Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter Tour. “The Cowboy Carter Tour is greater than a live performance — it’s a cultural second, and we’re thrilled to provide our members and Beyoncé’s followers unique entry to be a part of it,” stated Roe.
In every tour metropolis, Marriott’s loyalty program members can bid factors on a VIP Cowboy Carter tour expertise, which features a two-night lodge keep, arrival dinner, pre-concert glam session, transportation, breakfast and two tickets to the live performance.
LaQuan Smith hosted Marriott Bonvoy company at an unique pre-show cocktail social gathering throughout New York Style Week.
Alexey Kim / Sidewalkkilla
Sports activities and style have additionally been very fashionable with clients, says Roe. From providing Marriott Bonvoy members entrance row entry at designer LaQuan Smith’s present and after social gathering at New York Style Week to unique experiences like spending the evening in a collection on the Tremendous Bowl, strategic partnerships have created alternatives to supply transformative experiences to clients. “Experiences like which can be extremely anticipated and are bid on inside moments of their launch,” stated Roe.
Marriott Bonvoy additionally signed on because the official lodge and loyalty accomplice for the inaugural season of The Snow League, the primary skilled league devoted to snowboarding and snowboarding launched by Olympian Shaun White.
Marriott Bonvoy partnered with Shaun White for The Snow League launch which happened in Aspen in March.
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Because the journey sector continues evolving, manufacturers that cater to shoppers’ ardour factors will possible outperform rivals. The information suggests this isn’t a fleeting pattern however moderately a basic restructuring of client priorities. Roe notes that elevated mobility and adaptability within the post-pandemic work panorama has “freed folks’s minds up on the place they could possibly be.” This shift has prompted Marriott to diversify its lodging choices, now offering almost 200,000 houses and villas along with conventional lodge rooms. “What we see is that mix of labor and life, the place individuals are considering, ‘I can reside and work elsewhere all over the world.’”
For manufacturers throughout sectors, facilitating significant moments centered round these shifts is proving to be a profitable method to seize the hearts — and wallets — of tomorrow’s vacationers.
