Tl;dr – The new brand will presumably house brands like Postcard Cabins and Trailborn.
Some interesting news out of Marriott today. Over the last few months, Marriott has filed at least a dozen trademark applications with several agencies for a new brand called the “Outdoor Collection by Marriott Bonvoy.”
A report from Skift first put this on my radar (hat tip!), and I did some quick research to confirm this, and it is as advertised.
You can find some of Marriott’s filing with the USPTO (here and here) and the equivalent entity in Canada online.
Marriott is doubling down on the hybrid accommodation segment, creating an entirely new brand centered around nature-focused properties that offer strategic access to national parks and similar destinations.
As we know, Marriott’s also heavily invested in the luxury safari game. I wonder if leadership will eventually expand the Outdoor Collection to include the safari properties, or simply establish a new brand dedicated to safari adventures – once they’ve got all 9+ of their properties (and counting!) up and running.
I’ve covered this segment extensively in the past. Known to some as ‘horizontal lodging,’ I maintain a list of many of the leading ‘hybrid’ accommodation options that will help you stay closer to nature, and I’ve recently reported on developments at both Trailborn and Postcard Cabins.
Over the past few years, we’ve seen significant movement in this segment as the larger chains have all sought partnerships with emerging outdoor brands or attempted to launch in-house ventures. Hyatt has a partnership with Under Canvas, Hilton acquired Autocamp, Best Western entered the space in Zion, Accor made an attempt (and possibly failed) too, and as mentioned above, Marriott inked deals with both Postcard Cabins and Trailborn.
I’m a big fan of the outdoors, but not a big fan of camping, so I generally appreciate the movement in this space. As someone who regularly advocates for points travel, it’s great to see more options that, in theory, should make it more accessible for people to visit beautiful destinations. Additionally, as these options don’t detract from the ability of others who are seeking a truly immersive experience, to camp or backcountry, it is a win all around.
