COURTYARD BY MARRIOTT REINVENTS THE TRAVEL EXPERIENCE
Springfield, Oregon - Business travelers have long been the backbone of the hotel industry, but with average hotel occupancy rates dropping four percent since 2000, hotels are finding ways to accommodate today's stressed-out business traveler.

According to travel trends expert Peter Yesawich, higher on-the-road productivity demands from the home office, and lower travel perks have sent business travelers scurrying for places they can get their work done, and still find some creature comforts at a good value.

Substantial market research by Marriott International has shown that the business traveler of today has significantly different priorities and demands than the business traveler of 20, 10, even 5 years ago. Yesawich says that a business trip that could be spaced out over several days in the 90's is now expected to be an overnight trip. So, Marriott has ordered a "Re-Invention" of its Courtyard hotels to provide more comfort and convenience for busy business travelers.

The Eugene/Springfield Courtyard by Marriott has recently been "Re-Invented", undergoing significant lobby and dining area reconstruction to create a more "user-friendly" space. The modern, open-area floor plan eliminates the previous separation of dining, lounge, and lobby space, and the woodwork, earth-tones, and contemporary, upscale furniture and art make the area feel more like a hip coffee house or trendy cafe than a stuffy business hotel.

The hotel has also opened "The Market" which is a 24/7 opportunity for guests to get fresh, gourmet sandwiches made daily, an after-hours beer or wine, or a well-earned ice-cream bar or midnight snack.

There are various cell phone chargers, a printer and fax machine in the common area for guest use. And of course, no business traveler can do without high-speed Internet access these days. Courtyard now has free, wireless and cabled Internet access throughout their new common area.

"We've already observed guests in our re-invented area having a glass of wine, catching up on the news on TV, and working on their laptop all at the same time," says hotel General Manager Elizabeth Paitrick. "That's really nice to see in an area that previously went unused most of the day."

Paitrick says the Courtyard Re-Invention is responsive to business travelers' need to stay in control of their schedules, instead of having to plan productive work time around restaurant and kitchen hours. Still, the restaurant is open for breakfast, and the adjacent Outback steakhouse can deliver dinner to guests' rooms seven days a week.

If guests prefer to stay in their rooms, that has become a more luxurious experience at the Courtyard as well. New mattresses, bed packages with extra pillows, new curtains, carpet, desk chairs and sofas are all intended to introduce comfort back into business travel. Courtyard has also upgraded to digital cable service, now offering about 100 movie choices, 35 video games, classic TV shows and more sports and news channels. Free in-room Internet access in every guest room also helps business travelers stay connected.

"All hotels eventually renovate," says Paitrick. "But, we've used top-of-the-line materials and have focused on meeting the needs and demands of the business traveler."

FOOTNOTES
American Hotel & Lodging Association's 2003 Lodging Industry Profile
Frequent Flyer, "Spotting Business-travel Trends: The Harsh Realities on the Road Ahead" by Paul Burnham Finney

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InnSight Hotel Management Group is based in Springfield, Oregon. Current properties under InnSight management include:
• Holiday Inn Express (InterContinental Hotels Group) in Springfield, Oregon
• Courtyard by Marriott in Springfield, Oregon
• Comfort Suites (Choice Hotels International) in Springfield, Oregon
• Residence Inn by Marriott in Eugene, Oregon
• Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott in Central Point, Oregon
• SpringHill Suites by Marriott in Hillsboro, Oregon
• Opening in March 2005 – Courtyard by Marriott Medford Airport, Oregon