California Marriott Hotels combine business and pleasure on Canada's ski slopes.

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 19, 1994--At this year's M.P.I. meeting, the three most powerful California Marriott convention hotels took "relationship building" with their customers to new heights.

Before heading to meetings and receptions with the crowds in Vancouver, they whisked their customers up to the slopes of Mount Whistler for a winter wonderland weekend.

The Anaheim Marriott, San Francisco Marriott and San Diego Marriott created this special trip as a team. They recently formed an alliance as the "Marriott California Convention Network" and have just begun to work together on marketing California to meeting planners across the country.

"We are `selling' a very desirable product - California conventions," said Steve Heitzner, director of marketing for the San Francisco Marriott. "As a network, we offer our customers a direct connection to excellent convention space and services in the three key convention cities in the state."

For M.P.I., the network hotels invited a select group of corporate and association customers to a weekend at Chateau Whistler on world-famous Whistler Mountain. Customers were met at the airport and taken up to the Chateau in style. Once there, they were treated to all-day skiing and winter activities and dinners by the fire in the evening.

"This was a great way to get valuable personal time with our customers," said Heitzner. "The competition for convention business is incredibly aggressive nationwide. We are always looking for creative ways to let our customers know that their business is important to us, and this trip was a success on every level."

CONTACT: Kamer/Singer & Associates Inc.

Amy M. Pew, 415/512-6800