15 October 2009
Marriott in Jordan: Promoting Diversity, Tourism, Conservation
Washington — By transitioning from a mostly foreign work force to a work force that is 97 percent Jordanian, one that includes several women and a number of people with disabilities, Marriott International in Jordan has gained a favorable reputation among employees and customers alike.
The hotel group’s efforts also have attracted international attention and cemented the group’s place among a handful of finalists for the U.S. secretary of state’s 2009 Award for Corporate Excellence.
The three Marriott properties in Jordan — the Amman Marriott Hotel, the Petra Marriott Hotel and the Jordan Valley Marriott Resort & Spa — strive to live up to the spirit of the parent company’s support of work force diversity and are “proud to recruit employees from diverse ethnic backgrounds,” said Lama Nimr, spokeswoman for Marriott International in Jordan.
Female staffers at the three Marriott properties make up about 18 percent of the total work force, which is high for the region. Furthermore, the hotels recruit in a manner that supports local economies: the Jordan Valley Marriott Resort & Spa has hired more than 40 percent of its staff members from the village of Sweimeh near the resort.
“Several young women from Sweimeh have chosen to work for the resort and have excelled in their different jobs,” Nimr said. “We offer them English classes to encourage them to be better prepared to move on in their careers with Marriott and in the hospitality business.” Enhanced language skills, she said, ensure “promotions and better positions.”
The Petra Marriott Hotel has hired several women from the nearby and extremely conservative town of Wadi Moussa. Previously, it was “unthought-of to employ females to work in the hospitality sector, especially in a closed community [such] as Wadi Moussa,” Nimr said. “Even in hotels existing in Petra since 30 years or more, not one [other] hotel has been able to achieve this.”
In addition to its recruitment and hiring policies, the hotel group is hailed for working closely with the Jordan Tourism Board to facilitate travel to Jordan’s important historical, cultural and archaeological sites and for pursuing progressive environmental policies.
Nimr said most visitors to Jordan know about the country’s historical treasures. But local Marriott hotels provide detailed information in rooms and at lobby desks, and the hotels work with tourism officials to help visitors reach the destinations easily. The hotels promote sites such as The Citadel, which features Roman and early Islamic ruins; Jerash, which has the most well-preserved ancient Roman architecture outside Italy; and Petra, renowned for its rock-cut architecture.
Marriott International in Jordan’s conservation policies have resulted in significant water savings over the past few years, a notable achievement in one of the world’s most arid countries. In May 2009, the Jordan Valley Marriott Resort & Spa officially switched to solar energy by installing 275 solar panels. Around Jordan, “other businesses … started to consider new conservation policies” after noticing Marriott’s success, Nimr said.
For more information about the Amman Marriott Hotel, the Petra Marriott Hotel and the Jordan Valley Marriott Resort & Spa, visit these facilities’ Web sites.
