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Marriott CEO Addresses Anti-Muslim Hate Group Meeting Controversy

Deanna Ting

Photo Credit: Marriott CEO Arne Sorenson (left) doesn't think it should be up to hotels to decide who should be allowed to stay or meet in hotels and who shouldn't. He's pictured at Skift Global Forum in New York City September 27, discussed topical issues with Skift co-founder Jason Clampet. Skift / Skift

Skift Take

Sorenson makes a valid point: Hotels in the U.S., by law, can't discriminate who they will allow to stay with them. The hosting of meetings and events is more of a gray area, though. And a hotel could always decline to host a particular group for a variety of reasons. But the bigger question is: Should hotels and accommodations providers be able to say whose views are acceptable and whose are not?

Marriott International CEO Arne Sorenson isn't afraid to make statements about social and political issues, but he was also careful to distinguish between what his company's responsibility is in determining which guests and groups are welcome to stay or meet at its hotels. Speaking at the Skift Global Forum in New York City on September 27, Sorenson addressed the current controversy surrounding the Marriott Crystal Gateway hotel's upcoming hosting of an Act for America conference in Arlington, Virginia. Act for America has been identified by the Southern Poverty Law Center as an anti-Muslim hate group. It was the first time the company has spoken publicly about the controversy. In his remarks, Sorenson seemed to suggest the larger issue at hand is whether or not hotel companies should be able to determine who can stay or meet with them. Last week, the Muslim Advocates group sent an open letter to Sorenson, imploring him and his company to cancel Marriott's commitment to hosting the conference which is scheduled to take place from October 2-3. Speaki

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