Hyatt Hotels CEO Mark Hoplamazian announced a broad anti-hate group policy for the Hyatt hotel chain. Hoplamazian wrote to employees in a memo received by Muslim Advocates that “if a group is primarily focused on disparaging a group by virtue of their identity…that’s really where we need to draw the line. We’re going to apply our values to making these decisions along the way.”
The Hyatt Hotels decision comes after over 100,000 consumers and a group of concerned organizations urged Hyatt not to host the September 4-5 national conference of the white supremacist-aligned anti-Muslim hate group, ACT for America.
The conference, which Hyatt ultimately hosted, occurred less than a week after an ACT rally participant was sentenced to six years in prison for beating an African-American man during the Charlottesville Unite the Right rally. The effort to urge Hyatt not to host this conference was organized by Muslim Advocates, MoveOn, CREDO, and Shoulder to Shoulder.
This decision now positions Hyatt, alongside Airbnb, as a leader in the hospitality field for ensuring safe and inclusive spaces for its guests and staff.
Other major hospitality companies like Hilton, Wyndham, Accor Hotels, and InterContinental Hotels have decided to reject hate groups in the past, but Muslim Advocates is unaware of a broad commitment from any of them to vet events hosted by groups primarily dedicated to hate.
Marriott Most Hate Group Friendly
This move also highlights Marriott’s position as the most hate group-friendly hospitality brand after their embrace of a major hate conference in 2017.