Marriott Bonvoy is stepping off the beaten path—and doing so loudly. On September 30, 2025, Marriott unveiled Marriott Bonvoy Outdoors: a new digital platform and accompanying brand portfolio tailored not just to destinations, but to experiences in the wild.

In essence, Marriott is flipping the script: instead of asking “where do you want to stay?”, it prompts: “what do you want to do outdoors?” Whether that’s hiking, surfing, kayaking, or skiing, the platform is built around passions, not place.

At the same time, Marriott is launching a new soft brand within the Bonvoy ecosystem: Outdoor Collection by Marriott Bonvoy — a curated set of nature-immersed properties that blend comfort with proximity to wild landscapes.

It’s an ambitious push, and one that signals Marriott sees outdoor travel not as a niche, but as a core growth vector.

What Does Marriott Bonvoy Outdoors Offer?

Search by activity, not geography
Marriott Bonvoy Outdoors reframes the travel search funnel. Want to paddle? You filter by “paddle.” Want to dive? Pick “scuba & snorkel.” The system then surfaces hotels, homes & villas, and curated activities within categories such as ski & snowboard; hike & glamp; bike; surf; fish; paddle.

At launch, the platform unites over 450 outdoor-oriented hotels, 50,000 homes & villas, and a slate of curated tours and experiences.

A new kind of hotel portfolio

The Outdoor Collection is designed to be more than “hotels near nature.” Marriott is vetting for genuine alignment between site, design, programming, and access to wilderness.

• Postcard Cabins — compact, design-forward cabins (Scandinavian influences, private fire pits, trail or lake access) located in 29 U.S. destinations, often within two hours of major cities.
• Trailborn Hotels — boutique properties in iconic natural landscapes (e.g. the Grand Canyon, Blue Ridge, surf coasts) that integrate luxury, local flavor, and easy access to outdoor programming.

Later phases will include more adventurous typologies: ecolodges, yurts, domes, and other immersive escapes.

“We built Marriott Bonvoy Outdoors to help people, whether that’s cresting a mountain trail, catching the perfect wave, or simply finding quiet under the stars,”

said Peggy Roe, Executive Vice President and Chief Customer Officer, Marriott International. “Travel is at its best when it speaks to who we are and what we love. It’s about reconnecting with yourself and the people you love in the places that inspire you most. With the new Outdoor Collection by Marriott Bonvoy, our curated Marriott Bonvoy Moments, and even playful activations like the Drop Pin Challenge with Dylan Efron, we’re not just offering places to stay, we’re opening doors to experiences that inspire, connect, and stay with you forever.”

Member incentives & experiential tie-ins

Because it’s Bonvoy, the loyalty engine is baked in. Bookings made via the Outdoors platform will earn points at the same rate as any other Marriott property.

Additionally, Marriott is partnering with Outside Interactive (expected in 2026) to layer in content, trail maps, bonus points, and curated “Moments” tied to nature and adventure (e.g. snorkeling in Belize, kayaking in Hawaii).

To launch the platform with buzz, Marriott rolled out the Drop Pin Challenge. In partnership with outdoor enthusiast and media personality Dylan Efron, Marriott hid 20 “pins” across iconic U.S. and Canadian outdoor destinations. The first 50 people to scan any pin QR code were eligible for 10,000 Bonvoy points; a total of 10 million points are being awarded across the campaign.

Efron dropped the first pin near Postcard Cabin Big Bear, California.

Why This Move Matters (and Why It Makes Sense)

Riding macro trends in travel
The shift toward experience-led travel — especially outdoors and nature-based — has been building for years. Since the pandemic, demand for escape, reconnection, and nature has only accelerated. Marriott’s own internal research suggests over 80 % of Bonvoy members say they want outdoor elements in their next trip.

By creating a platform that foregrounds what you want to do, Marriott is aligning with modern traveler psychology: many people already think in terms of “I want to hike,” “I want to surf,” not “I want to go to Bali.”

Filling a gap between “traditional hotel” and “adventure lodging”
Existing hotel brands often try to retrofit nature (e.g. a resort near a beach or a “jungle lodge”) without fully embracing it. On the other side, boutique adventure lodges or glamping operations frequently lack scale, brand consistency, or loyalty integration. Marriott’s Outdoors effort sits in the middle — a brand-safe, loyalty-friendly, scalable bridge into wilderness stays.

Competitive context: What others are doing
Marriott is not alone in trying to capture this space:

• Hilton + AutoCamp: Hilton formed a partnership to bring glamping stays through AutoCamp into its ecosystem, using Hilton’s loyalty infrastructure.
• Hyatt + Under Canvas: Hyatt has partnered with Under Canvas to offer upscale glamping and safari-style stays under the Hyatt umbrella.

But Marriott’s move is broader: not just lodging tie-ups, but a fully branded platform + experiential layer + loyalty integration. That gives it a shot at being a category leader rather than a niche play.

Also worth watching are pure-play outdoor or adventure travel platforms (like REI Adventures, Backroads, etc.). Though they don’t own lodging real estate, they own storytelling and traveler inspiration, which can influence where people choose to stay. Marriott will need to compete not just on product, but also on narrative and community.

Risks and execution challenges

• Defining “outdoor” credibly: It’s easy to label a property “outdoor-friendly,” but harder to ensure it actually delivers — design, programming, access, ecological sensitivity all need to align.
• Balancing scale and uniqueness: As Marriott scales, there’s a risk of homogenization. Part of the allure of outdoor stays is that they feel special, local, rugged.
• Sustainability & environmental scrutiny: Nature travel attracts eco-conscious travelers. Marriott will be judged not just on marketing, but on responsible land use, impact on ecosystems, and community relationships.
• Loyalty dilution: If many bookings shift to Outdoors, Marriott needs to ensure existing brand loyalties (luxury, resort, business stay) remain strong and distinct.