CEO of the Marriott Hotel Group, Arne Sorenson sat down with Marketplace's Kai Ryssdal to discuss the massive multi-billion dollar merge between the Marriott Hotel group and Starwood Hotels and Resorts which Sorenson oversaw in 2016, and some of his travel tips which Sorenson would see as helpful for other travellers.
Sorenson's first tip for travelling is to always make time for exercise. "A regular exercise schedule also helps to regulate your body’s internal clock. A brisk walk or jog will help you get to sleep, which is critical your first night in a new time zone", he explained in the podcast.
Another tip he has is to always be on local time. "When I land in a new destination, I always change my clock to the local time. I then maintain my schedule based on local time", Sorenson explained.
"Always get natural light. Go outside of the hotel and get some sunlight. It's important to step out of the conference centre, boardroom or hotel room", Sorenson said.
"Our bodies set their own clocks based on sunlight, so the further you are from home spend more time outside".
Arneson adds that when he prepares to fly, he almost never checks his bag in, he goes light. Whether he's traveling for one week or two, Arneson skips the checked baggage and opts for a briefcase and a wheeled, soft-sided leather bag that he uses as a suitcase.
“I love first to open all the curtains in a hotel room when I walk in”. For Arneson, making sure that he is around natural light helps with his body clock and maintain his schedule. "I think getting the natural light to work, particularly when you're in a different time zone, is really important,” he said.
“Get immediately on that schedule as opposed to giving in to the exhaustion and sleep during the day because then you'll never get there.”
For more on Arne Sorenson's tips for travelling, check out his interview on Marketplace's website: www.marketplace.org
click on the link below to listen to the interview from marketplace.org.