Press release
Marriott International Launches HotelHelp Pilot to Provide Short-Term Emergency Stays for Human Trafficking Survivors
New initiative furthers company's commitment to anti-trafficking and survivor empowerment BETHESDA, Md., July 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- At the AHLA
About this update from Marriott International
[{"type":"text","content":"New initiative furthers company's commitment to anti-trafficking and survivor empowerment\nBETHESDA, Md., July 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- At the AHLA Foundation's third annual No Room for Trafficking (NRFT) Summit in connection with World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, Marriott International, Inc. announced the pilot launch of HotelHelp, a rooms donation program for survivors of human trafficking. HotelHelp currently works with Marriott's portfolio of hotels that are willing to donate short-term emergency stays and established care providers who book these rooms for the survivors they support.\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \nHotelHelp is being piloted in five U.S. cities, including Atlanta, Detroit, Phoenix, Seattle, and Washington, D.C., and is expected to expand to 25 cities across North America by January 2025. Over the long term, the company plans to scale the program to additional locations globally, to other hotel companies, and to serve other vulnerable communities in need of short-term accommodation.\n\"Survivors of human trafficking often face a shortage of dedicated shelter beds that put them at greater risk of being re-trafficked after exiting their trafficking situation,\" said Anthony Capuano, President and CEO of Marriott International. \"As part of our longstanding anti-trafficking and survivor empowerment efforts, we are proud to have developed a solution to bridge the gap for safe, short-term accommodations for trafficking survivors and we look forward to working with other hotel companies to extend the reach of this effort.\"\nModeled after the success of HospitalityHelps, an online booking platform established by HotelSwaps in collaboration with PKF International, and the Bench to provide short-term hotel stays for Ukrainian refugees, HotelHelp leverages a proven system to facilitate room donations for people in need. During the first three months of the war in Ukraine, HospitalityHelps booked over 100,000 room nights in 630 hotels – including over 8,700 room nights in 87 hotels within the Marriott portfolio throughout Europe. HotelSwaps continues to be a key partner in the ongoing development and operation of HotelHelp.\nOn the HotelHelp platform, participating care and service providers can reserve up to five room nights per person and make reservations on behalf of their clients to protect the confidentiality ...